DeLorean Aerospace DR-7

DR-7
DeLorean Aerospace
Laguna Beach, California, USA
www.deloreanaerospace.com

The DeLorean Aerospace DR-7 would be a twin forward and rear tilt propeller flying car developed for personal use.

The forward and rear propellers will be capable of 360 degree forward/back tilt. In vertical mode the DeLorean will be able to achieve Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL). As the propellers tilt more toward a horizontal position it will enter cruising mode. The front system is a tractor propeller and the rear prop a pusher. The counter-spinning fans will help stabilize the DR-7 as well as provide roll and yaw control while hovering and yaw while in cruising flight. The thrust-vectoring system precludes the need of a rudder. The fuselage will act as an airfoil with stall-resistant canard. The design will increase efficiency and decrease stall resistance to low speeds. The DR-7 will have a cruising speed of 241 km/h with a top speed of 389 km/h. At full speed the range will be 193 km.

The DR-7 will carry two passengers in a tandem configuration. It will be 6 m long with a wingspan of 5.6 m. The wings will fold the vehicle to a 2.3 m width allowing it to fit in a garage.

DeLorean intends for the vehicle to be a high end flying car for commuting and personal travel. Costs are expected to be in the $250,000–300,000 range.

A 1/3 scale proof-of-concept composite aircraft has been tested successfully. There is no hard timeline for additional tests and the company is currently seeking investors for a full-sized prototype.

DeLorean Aerospace was founded in 2012 by Paul DeLorean, the nephew of famous car designer John DeLorean.

Company Insights:

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Resources:

• US Patent 9,085,355, filed Dec. 7, 2012; granted July 21, 2015
• Article: Air Mobility Bonanza Beckons Electric VTOL Developers, Vertiflite, March/April 2017
• Article: DeLorean unveils DR-7 VTOL, eVTOL News, June 11, 2017
• Article: DeLorean DR7 Wants To Fly Us Back To The Future, Clean Technica, January 2, 2018