B-Technology Beccarii

Beccarii
B-Technology Sp. z o.o.
Jasionka, Poland
www.beccarii.com

B-Technology was founded in 2020 by Witold Mielniczek, Dawid Smolka and Vadym Melnyk in Poland. The company says it has made the first hybrid-electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) and all terrain ground vehicle for advanced air mobility (AAM). called the Beccarii. The company has international patents on its vehicle’s design. (All photos used with permission by B-Technology.)

Beccarii one passenger hybrid-electric VTOL and all terrain vehicle
The Beccarii is a one passenger modern and streamlined looking VTOL aircraft that is also an all terrain vehicle. The company hopes the Beccarii will truly bring the flying car to millions, if not billions, of people have hoped and dreamed for. The aircraft has eight propellers and eight electric motors. The maximum flight speed and 120 km/h (75 mph) and the flight range is 150 km (93 miles). The maximum driving speed and 120 km/h (75 mph) and the driving range is 400 km (249 miles).

The Beccarii has several unique features. The wheels are quite high off the ground allowing it to travel off road and the propellers are safely inside the wheel spokes when on the ground, protecting people and the propellers themselves. Finally, the tire tread moves around the rim of the wheel allowing the propellers to remain stationary and in the same VTOL position at all times. The company says the vehicle can operate in any environment such as roads, off road, in shallow water and in the air.

The vehicle has redundancy built into the design making it an extremely safe aircraft to fly. If two of its eight propellers stop working, it can land safely with the remaining six propellers. It has a long ground and flight range due to its hybrid-electric power source and propulsion systems. It has excellent performance on regular roads and rough terrain due to its hubless wheels. The vehicle does not need any prepared takeoff or landing space since its the size of a compact car, allowing the passengers to take off from almost any open space including a driveway, road or field.

The design configuration of placing propellers inside hubless wheels provides maximum usage of the wheels and struts and this reduces the complexity of the vehicle. The primary functions and advantages of this design are:

• Provides driving function
• Serves as landing gear
• Protects people from the propellers when on the ground
• Protects the propellers when on the ground
• The propellers have good airflow because the wheels are thin and don’t block the downward airflow of the propellers
• Keep the propellers a safe distance above the ground
• The large diameter wheels allows it to drive over large obstacles for good off-terrain performance
• Reduces the complexity of the vehicle
• Reduces the weight of the vehicle
• Reduces the cost to manufacturer the vehicle
• Reduces the purchase price of the vehicle
• Makes the aircraft more streamlined and a better looking vehicle

B-Technology has made a 1/10 sub-scale prototype which is currently being flight tested. The next prototype being developed is a 1/2 sub-scale prototype. After this half-scale prototype is ground and flight tested, the next step is to build and test a full scale prototype.

The company sees this vehicle for many applications such as personal transportation, a first responder paramedic vehicle, border protection and for the military. The big advantage of this vehicle for paramedics, it is needs no helipad. A paramedic can leave their facility or hospital and drive out of a parking space to a safe open area and take off towards the person in medical need. The same is true when arriving at the destination. The paramedic can land close to the scene and then drive right to the patient and provide life-saving first responder emergency medical treatment.

Specifications:

• Aircraft type: Passenger hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft and roadable vehicle
• Capacity: 1 passenger
• Maximum flight speed: 120 km/h (75 mph)
• Maximum driving speed: 120 km/h (75 mph)
• Flight range: 150 km (93 miles)
• Driving range: 400 km (249 miles)
• Empty weight: 360 kg (794 lbs)
• Maximum weight: 500 kg (1,102 lbs)
• Power: Light 50 kg (110 lb), 250 BHP Gas Turbine + Electric Generator
• Thrust: 90 kg X 8 (720 kg), 198 lbs X 8 (1,587 lbs)
• Propeller length: 117 cm (46 inch)
• Number of rotors: 8 propellers
• Vehicle length: 3.5 m (11.5 feet)
• Vehicle width: 2 m (6.5 feet)
• Vehicle height: 1.39 m (4.5 feet)
• Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite
• Landing gear: 4 wheels
• Safety Features: Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP), provides safety through redundancy for its passengers and/or cargo. DEP means having multiple propellers and electric motors on the aircraft, so if one or more motors or propellers fail, the other working motors and propellers can safely land the aircraft. The propellers are safely inside the wheel spokes so people can’t walk into them and hurt themselves when the vehicle is on the ground. Also, this design feature protects the propellers when the vehicle is on the ground.

Company Insights:

• Crunchbase
• Tracxn

Resources:

• Beccarii website
• Beccarii Facebook
• Beccarii Twitter
• Beccarii YouTube
• Beccarii LinkedIn
• Beccarii White Paper
• Video: BECCARII – Future All-Terrain Flying Car Concept, Beccarii, Apr. 20, 2020
• Video: Beccarii – Flying Car 1:10 prototype flight test in strong wind, Beccarii, Apr. 26, 2020
• Video: Beccarii – Flying Car 1:10 prototype test, Beccarii, Apr. 26, 2020
• Article: Startup Spotlight – Beccarii, Osinto, May 5, 2020
• Article: Terminator-esque liquid metal could be used for deep-space missions, Silicon Republic, May 8, 2020