Everybody’s buzzing about Amazon Prime Air, which will bring the products you order from the mega-retailer to your doorstep in just 30 minutes via helicopter drone. So how else is helicopter tech - both manned and unmanned - moving forward into the future? These 15 designs include pedal-powered flying machines, electric helicopters, self-assembling drones and the world’s most expensive helicopter at US$21 million.
1. Amazon’s Flying Robot Delivery Drones
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos revealed the possible delivery method of the future for its Prime consumers: helicopter drones, from the warehouse to your doorstep in 30 minutes.
Showing off the prototype on 60 Minutes, Amazon announced that its Prime Air program is slated for rollout in 2015, pending FAA approval. So just a half hour after you hit the ‘buy’ button on a product page, the item you want is dropped off by a propeller-powered robot.
2. eVolo 18-Rotor Electric Helicopter
An 18-rotor electric helicopter made its maiden flight in late November, reaching heights of nearly 22 meters (72 feet.) The eVolo VC200 is capable of carrying two passengers for distances of up to 100km and flight altitudes of up to 6500 feet. It can be disassembled, with all parts connected to an ‘intelligent mesh network’ so that if one or several components fail, the aircraft can still land safely. It’s the first electric helicopter to lift off successfully.
3. eVolo Personal Helicopter
Another eVolo design, the Personal Multicopter, can elevate a single passenger into the air with a joystick steering system and sixteen propellers.
A team of German professionals completed the first prototype and test flight, and envision its use in the entertainment arena as well as for aerial photography, inspection and short-distance travel. A one-hour flight is estimated to cost just about 6 euro’s worth of electricity, and it can land safely even if up to four of its motors fail.
4. Hermes Luxury Helicopter
Perhaps it shouldn’t be too surprising that fashion designers are getting in on the game of designing luxury helicopters, since people with tons of money are always eager for prestigious labels. French fashion company Hermes teamed up with Eurcopter to create L’helicopre par Hermes “for the discerning luxury traveller.” It features a spacious cabin for four, a minimalist colour palette, Hermes signature upholstery and calf’s leather banquettes.
5. Solar Copter
The world’s first solar-powered helicopter isn’t going to lift much of anything up in the air - but it does work. It’s basically a remote-controlled solar panel liftable via four propellers. This project by masters students at Queen Mary University of London may be small, but it could become the basis for larger and more complex designs.
6. Pedal-Powered Helicopter
Looking a bit like something Leonardo da Vinci envisioned, a human-powered helicopter by AeroVelo has become the first winner of a 33-year-old aviation prize. The quad-rotor helicopter lifted to an altitude of 3.3 meters, hovering for 64 seconds.
This was the first time a human-powered craft has met the requirements of aviation pioneer Igor I Sikorksy’s Human Powered Helicopter Competition, which was first established in 1980.
7. 3D Printed Self-Assembling Helicopter Drones
Hexagonal helicopter drone modules can not only link together to form a larger flying machine (on their own), but are capable of self-assembly. The honeycomb-shaped individual modules don’t fly very well on their own, but they’re controlled and efficient as a single unit, exchanging information with each other.
It wasn’t designed for a specific purpose, but the researchers responsible for the project say the algorithms used to create them could apply to other projects, like scalable mass transportation systems.
8. Record-Breaking Sikorsky X2
The fastest helicopter yet is the Sikorsky X2, a prototype that officially broke speed records when it clocked over 250 knots (287.69mph) on a test run. The previous record was 216.46 knots. One difference in the design versus more conventional helicopters is its tail rotor, which faces backward like a boat propeller rather than up. This provides additional thrust.
9. Grand Versace AgustaWestland
Luxury helicopter designs just for millionaires include the Grand Versace line by AgustaWestland, with a sleek black and white design with a Greek key motif splashed across the side, among other designs in the collaboration. The line debuted in 2007.
10. World’s Most Expensive VIP Helicopter
With a cabin as spacious and luxurious as that of a private jet, perhaps it’s no surprise that the AgustaWestland AW101 VVIP helicopter is the world’s most expensive at US$21 million. It’s the fanciest helicopter that money can buy, with a top speed of 192 mph and a range of 863 miles. Three of these were supposed to replace the current presidential helicopters, but with the economy the way it is, President Obama decided against the upgrade.
11. Rescue Transportation Helicopter
This disaster-specific transport carrier was envisioned by Taiwanese designers to be used in conjunction with a truck to provide fast delivery of resources and quick transport of injured victims in the event of a major catastrophe. The surplus energy generated by the turbine-powered helicopter can be converted into electricity to run the truck.
12. Zero Helicopter
The ultramodern helicopter design is nice and compact, an intriguing basis for personal aircraft of the future.
13. Micro Helicopter Helicar Concept
The Transformer HeliCar looks similar to the Zero, and adds a really cool extra function: it transforms from a car to a helicopter and back again for versatility in bad traffic situations. Designed by Emreh Pelevan, the micro helicopter/car has two large wheels on either side with blades that fold up out of the way when in road mode.
14. Single Seat Helicopter Design
Wouldn’t it be cool if you could own a helicopter that’s not much larger than a motorcycle? That’s the idea behind this single-seater by Igarashi Design.
15. Unmanned Dolphin-Inspired Helicopter
Take aerial photos, deliver packages or just have fun watching this unmanned Swiss helicopter design zoom around in the sky. The design of the NEO S-300 was inspired by the bodies of dolphins, with streamlined bodies and noses strong enough to carry various electronics.
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