PAL-V Europe, the company developing the three-wheeler, still describes it as the "first Personal Air and Land Vehicle (PAL-V) available for anybody."
The inventor, John Bakker, has spent six years on its design, which basically combines a patented three-wheeled, self-balancing hybrid motorcycle-car from the Dutch company Carver with an autogyro.
The autogyro technology in itself makes flying possible through a free-spinning rotor, using a separate propeller for pushing it. It's considerably more silent than a helicopter and much easier to fly. A kind of pilot's license is still required.
On the PAL-V One, the rotor can be folded on top of the roof when the vehicle is used for driving, permitting speeds up to 120 mph on the ground. The same top speed should be possible when flying, while cruising speed would be 90 mph and the flying range 280 miles.
According to PAL-V Europe, the typical flight altitude will be 4,000 feet, which means the vehicle can be operated without filing a flight plan.
Source:
cnet (read full article)
The inventor, John Bakker, has spent six years on its design, which basically combines a patented three-wheeled, self-balancing hybrid motorcycle-car from the Dutch company Carver with an autogyro.
The autogyro technology in itself makes flying possible through a free-spinning rotor, using a separate propeller for pushing it. It's considerably more silent than a helicopter and much easier to fly. A kind of pilot's license is still required.
On the PAL-V One, the rotor can be folded on top of the roof when the vehicle is used for driving, permitting speeds up to 120 mph on the ground. The same top speed should be possible when flying, while cruising speed would be 90 mph and the flying range 280 miles.
According to PAL-V Europe, the typical flight altitude will be 4,000 feet, which means the vehicle can be operated without filing a flight plan.
Source:
cnet (read full article)
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