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The era when everyone can easily fly to heaven may soon come. The team of engineers from large automakers has challenged the manufacture of flying vehicles. The goal is to debut at the opening ceremony of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
At the opening ceremony of the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984, a "rocketman" flying from a small jet-propelled flight device flew to the opening ceremony. This kind of personal jet aircraft has not been popularized due to the problems of safety and cost, but the situation of people flying freely in the air shocked the audience and made the audience full of dreams about technological progress.
"At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, we will let the world see this dream come true," said Nakamura, an engineer at a large car company, who said with enthusiasm. The CARTIVATOR, a team of automotive engineers with Nakamura as the core, is developing a "SkyDrive" flying car that can be used by individuals. The goal is to achieve productization before the Tokyo Olympic Games and carry out manned flights at the opening ceremony.
SkyDrive is currently under development. In June 2015, at the Infinity Ventures Summit (IVS), a venture for entrepreneurs of venture companies, CARTIVATOR first publicly demonstrated the flight scene of a prototype prototype of one-fifth of its size, and received the venue. The concern was also won in the IVS competition around new business.
Flying vehicles are often seen in animation, but they are not widely used in reality. The subject is size and operation difficulty.
In Europe and other countries such as the United States, there are also companies that promote the development of flying vehicles, but mainly transform aircrafts or helicopters into cars. Therefore, it is impossible to take off on the road because of the huge wing of the aircraft or the obstruction of the helicopter propeller. In addition, it requires a special driver's license and the operation is very difficult. The average person is more difficult to use.
Similar to the nearest unmanned aerial vehicle but can be carried
The CARTIVATOR wants to make SkyDrive a single-seat, light-weight car that requires no special operation and driver's license. It is assumed that the price is about 5 million yen, and the target is much lower than the 20 million to 30 million yen flying car that was previously developed. If it can be put into practical use, "it will be the world's first flight vehicle that can technically take off when driving on the road" (Nakamura).
SkyDrive is equipped with three tires for ground driving, and four-corner flight propellers are installed. It's like on a rectangular unmanned aircraft, equipped with wheels and manned cockpits.
SkyDrive is powered by a lithium-ion battery. Each of the four propellers is driven by its own electric motor, and it is planned to fly at a height of 10 to 20 meters by controlling the number of revolutions of the motor. Not only can it take off vertically like the current drones, but it can also take off smoothly on the ground like an airplane.
The ground speed and speed of flight are all assumed to be controlled at 100-150 km/h. For the target cruising range, the distance is 50 km on the ground, and only about 5 km on the ground. The way in which the driver can use the steering wheel instead of using the steering wheel to control the body by moving the body's center of gravity is currently being discussed. For example, when the center of gravity is leaning forward, lower the speed of the two propellers ahead and let the body tilt forward.
As the original use of SkyDrive, Nakamura assumed that it was an emergency vehicle such as an ambulance. The advantage is that even if there is a traffic jam, it can quickly fly to the patient. In addition, it can also be used as a mobile tool in deserts and seas where ordinary cars are not convenient. In this case, even in areas where traffic infrastructure such as roads and tunnels are imperfect, they can move. Nakamura said with expectation that "the state of the city based on infrastructure may change."
Nakamura, 31, is a recognized car enthusiast. After graduating from Graduate School of Science and Engineering at Keio University, Nakamura entered a large car company as an engineer. However, he soon discovered that the “de-automation†phenomenon centered on young people has become increasingly serious. The development of SkyDrive is due to "the desire to create a dream vehicle that can attract young people and children."
Three existing technologies have brought inspiration to Nakamura. These three technologies are a single-seat small electric vehicle, a drone, and a station-type electric two-wheeled vehicle “Segway†that can be controlled by moving the body's center of gravity. Nakamura intends to install the same propeller as the UAV on a lightweight, battery-powered compact car to achieve the flying function. If you can intuitively operate by moving the body like Segway, you will create an unprecedented flying car.
This idea was endorsed by the young engineers, designers, and even the heads of operations, procurement, and legal affairs of Nakamura's car company. In addition, engineers from large auto parts manufacturers and data management experts from software companies are also very supportive. In 2012, CARTIVATOR was formally established. Currently, we have also received technical support from the University of Tokushima and Nagoya University during development.
"Although I had never thought of manufacturing a manned drone before, it is technically feasible. I would like to experience it first when it comes to manned flight." University of Toshima, which assists in the design and control of airframes Associate Professor of Engineering Department said three rounds of history.
Lightweight carbon fiber
However, SkyDrive has several difficulties to overcome in order to be practical. Nakamura said that “there will be many issues that can only be solved by the development technology of auto development, such as the influence of wind during the flight.â€
The larger the drone, the more difficult it is to control. People can easily sit on the center of gravity and therefore need more sophisticated body control technology.
For example, it is necessary to install a plurality of sensors for detecting tilt and movement, to grasp the attitude change of the body in the air at any time, to detect the difference between the current attitude and the stable attitude, and to adjust the rotation speed of each propeller in units of one thousandth of a second.
In addition, measures must be taken to increase safety. Although the body is small, it can cause serious accidents if it falls. In order to ensure that the propeller can continue to fly even after a part of the propeller malfunctions due to a collision with a bird during flight, it is planned to install a spare propeller. In order to prevent a serious accident from crashing, it is also considered to provide an airbag in the lower part of the fuselage.
However, the more weight the equipment has, the heavier it will be. Not only will it be difficult to control, but also the mileage will be shortened. Nakamura said, "SkyDrive's weight should drop to at least one-tenth of ordinary cars." Therefore, it is also planned to use a carbon fiber-reinforced resin-based composite material that is lighter than iron plate to make the vehicle body.
There are also issues in funding. The development of manned aircraft requires hundreds of millions of dollars. Currently, due to the positioning of CARTIVATOR as a volunteer group outside the company, it is difficult to raise a large amount of funds. Therefore, the “crowdfunding†method of raising small funds from supporters through the Internet is used. In the future, companies should receive support or fundraising through funds, etc. to ensure sufficient development funding.
Although there are many issues, development has been ongoing. In December 2014, a physical-size drone flight experiment was conducted jointly with University of Tokushima. Five years later, the Tokyo Olympics will be welcomed. Can SkyDrive show itself on such a grand stage? Development is also racing against time. (Reporter: Isan Yamanosuke)
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