If the pilot flies into a cloud and takes his/her hands off the controls, the aircraft will fly to a safe altitude and continue to fly safely to its destination. Safety features: Three engines provides redundancy, if one engine fails, the remaining engines can land the aircraft safely.Tail: Short tail with inverted V rudders.Wings: Two low rear stub wings with winglets.Forward flight: Rear fan propulsion system.Rotors: 2, 3-bladed co-axial counter-rotating rotor blades.Power source: 3 high-efficiency micro gas turbines generators or batteries.Weight of aircraft: Up to 2 metric tons.Once autonomous flying is approved by governments, the AutoCopter will be able to fly without the aid of a pilot. Piloting: 1 pilot and semi-autonomous capability.Aircraft type: Electric or Hybrid-electric VTOL compound helicopter.The cost of the rotorcraft would be in the of $800 thousand to $1.2 million, depending upon the size of the aircraft.Īuto-Copter compound electric or hybrid-electric helicopter. The company foresees the application for the aircraft for personal transport, air taxi, corporate, utility and for the military. With this type of engine, the rotorcraft can use jet fuel, diesel, biofuel or synthetic jet fuel. The rotorcraft will use three micro gas-turbine generators which are a component of Formula 1 race car engines. However, not having a heavy transmission will lower the weight and complexity of the aircraft, increasing the efficiency of the all-electric rotorcraft version.įor the hybrid-electric version, the company will not be using traditional helicopter piston or turbine engines to generate electricity for the motors to power the rotorblades and the rear ducted fan. It will be equipped with a health and usage monitoring system, fly-by-wire flight controls and haptic flying controls (any technology that can create an experience of touch by applying forces, vibrations, or motions to the user, to virtual objects).īattery-powered aircraft will have substantially lower cruise speeds and ranges, its hybrid-electric counterpart. The aircraft will be outfitted with a joystick and other piloting controls. The air taxi version will be offered with only 4 or 6 seats. Different fuselage sizes will be available allowing for 2, 4, 6 or 8 persons on board. The rotorcraft will fly level like a plane, instead of nose-down like a helicopter. The aircraft requires a pilot however, the aircraft will have a semi-autonomous ability to fly a predetermined route, reducing the pilot's workload and the rotorcraft will be able to avoid any unexpected ground obstacles and other aircraft. The company is actively looking for investors. Horizon AutoCopters Ltd is designing an all-electric or hybrid-electric (both options available) co-axial compound rotorcraft, with additional forward propulsion provided by a ducted fan fitted in the rear of the rotorcraft.
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