SkyCar - When?

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Just wondering if the SkyCar (http://www.moller.com) will ever become a reality.?? I've been keeping my eye on this thing for the last 6 or 7 years, and it's starting to seem like a classic "vaporware" idea. The dates for launch seem to keep getting pushed further into the future every year. If it really came to be it seems like it would almost be the holy grail to personal transportation.



But now they're selling crazy stuff on their website such as life-extension-almond-butter, another endevour by Paul Moller so that he "can see the day that his SkyCar actually flies". WTF!?!?



«1

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 27
    powerdocpowerdoc Posts: 8,123member
    Skycars are not for tomorrow for serverals reasons :



    - they are expansive

    - there is security problems : air collisions (no regulation like the one who exist for planes) and the level secure of the car itself

    - waste of fuel (drains much more energy than cars).
  • Reply 2 of 27
    macvaultmacvault Posts: 323member
    1) If they ever got into production they wouldn't be so expensive. These guys haven't even been able to test their prototype beyond a teathered hover - even after 20 years and $200 Million!



    2) They pose no greater security problem than does a cesna.



    3) Moller's specs show that the SkyCar would consume about as much fuel as does my new Volvo!



    Even if the reasons you mentioned were true none of them should be preventing Moller from at least having a prototype that will actually do what they claim it should do.
  • Reply 3 of 27
    wrong robotwrong robot Posts: 3,907member
    I think that they could see military application, in the near future, but don't expect it to ever replace cars, at least not until they can actually show some significant advantages to having a car.
  • Reply 4 of 27
    scottscott Posts: 7,431member
    Doesn't seem like the military is at all interested in a skycar.
  • Reply 5 of 27
    wrong robotwrong robot Posts: 3,907member
    Yeah, there isn't really much practical application, now that I think of it.
  • Reply 6 of 27
    macvaultmacvault Posts: 323member
    Ok wrong robot, yea, I'll settle just to see one work - just to know that such a thing is possible - even if it's only the military that get to use them for a while. I just want to know that they are in our future and that it's not just another scam.



    The main advantage I see with the SkyCar is the VTOL capability. So, if the SkyCare never really happens, maybe I can get the guys at www.viper-aircraft.com to build me a VTOL viper EVEN IF I NEED A LICENSE TO FLY THE THING!
  • Reply 7 of 27
    macvaultmacvault Posts: 323member
    Here's the military version... http://media.moller.com/skycar/
  • Reply 8 of 27
    chu_bakkachu_bakka Posts: 1,793member
    That thing sucks!



    Would you want one of those suckers landing on the driveway nextdoor?



    Do you trust the neighbor to NOT land on your house... or your dog even?



    Harrier Jets are infamous for being tough to land... this thing looks like a cheap one... doesn't make me feel confident.



    I want the SPINNER from Bladerunner! Nothing less.
  • Reply 9 of 27
    splinemodelsplinemodel Posts: 7,311member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Powerdoc

    Skycars are not for tomorrow for serverals reasons :



    - they are expansive

    - there is security problems : air collisions (no regulation like the one who exist for planes) and the level secure of the car itself

    - waste of fuel (drains much more energy than cars).




    1) how much does a nice foreign car cost in France? I know in Denmark there's a 250% VAT. Is that the case in other socialist EU nations? If so, a lot of cars on the market would cost more than a moeller.



    2) If there are only a few, it won't be a problem for the time being, and even if there are a lot, basic radar can give the driver information that's a lot more complete than what road drivers get today.



    3) Incorrect. A cessna can operate on a 65hp engine. The Moeller uses rotary engines, most likely identical to ones in the RX-8, a street car. If it has two of these engines and goes 250mph, that's not a waste of fuel.
  • Reply 10 of 27
    eugeneeugene Posts: 8,254member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Splinemodel



    2) If there are only a few, it won't be a problem for the time being, and even if there are a lot, basic radar can give the driver information that's a lot more complete than what road drivers get today.




    1) Moller is a wacky Canadian.

    2) It doesn't fly...or at least it has shaky hovering capabilities at best.



    He's been trying to get this craft working for DECADES.
  • Reply 11 of 27
    outsideroutsider Posts: 6,008member
    The Moller is a failure. Any sky-car will have to have as little human intervention as possible. I foresee a computer grid in place like GPS that will guide "cars' like these. Basically you would punch up your coordinates into the onboard computer and the computer would do the driving. The human interaction would happen at the destination. You select the designated parking spot and click PARK and it lands for you. There can even be a limited flying mode where speed and altitude is limited and on the ground you use the controls to taxi around. Safety? Collisions will be almost nil. Engine problems with the sky-car? Onboard parachutes and internal/external airbags.



    Now the problem is a lightweight car that can sustain hovering and long distance (300-500 miles) flights.
  • Reply 12 of 27
    chu_bakkachu_bakka Posts: 1,793member
    I don't think that any hover system that uses AIR will be viable.



    Until some anti-gravity, or some other as yet undiscovered tech comes to fruition... it aint gonna happen.
  • Reply 13 of 27
    outsideroutsider Posts: 6,008member
    Oh I think it can be done with air, maybe not by propeller, but maybe some forced hot air jet. For take off and hovering it would utilize 2 low yield directional jets and a centered high yield jet for forward propulsion. And the jets don't have to be combustible fuel based, but the air can be heated electrically.



    Hmmm.
  • Reply 14 of 27
    macvaultmacvault Posts: 323member
    www.moller.com seems to be down this morning. I've never seen it go down before. Hmmm???
  • Reply 15 of 27
    haraldharald Posts: 2,152member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Splinemodel

    1) how much does a nice foreign car cost in France? I know in Denmark there's a 250% VAT. Is that the case in other socialist EU nations?



    You mean nice foreign cars like Volvo, Saab, Fiat, BMW, Mercedes, Rover, Fiat, Citroen etc right?



    Will you PLEASE stop confusing EU nations with socialist countries? It makes you look like a twat and it bores us very much.



    K, thnx.



    Now back on topic.
  • Reply 16 of 27
    chu_bakkachu_bakka Posts: 1,793member
    Check out the New Joint Strike Fighter to see how they're doing VTOL.
  • Reply 17 of 27
    scottscott Posts: 7,431member
    Yea that thing is cool. Uses a big fan to go straight up.
  • Reply 18 of 27
    eugeneeugene Posts: 8,254member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Scott

    Yea that thing is cool. Uses a big fan to go straight up.



    One reason why Lockheed's design won out over Boeing's was because the Lockheed VTOL lift fan was basically separate from the main engine and the Boeing's was not.



    It's a shame, because I dug the Boeing design. At least from the demo videos, the Boeing was a lot smoother in action.
  • Reply 19 of 27
    curiousuburbcuriousuburb Posts: 3,325member
    NOVA ran a great 2 hour special on the JSF competition called Battle of the X-Planes.

    Plenty of footage of both prototypes, a little Harrier history, and a great show.
  • Reply 20 of 27
    outsideroutsider Posts: 6,008member
    There's this too. No prototype yet but it carries more people than the Moller.



    Israel is working on a fly by wire too. Urbanaero
Sign In or Register to comment.