Hover Formula 2 Prototype
Formula 2 Prototype
Hover
Moscow, Central Federal District, Russia
www.hoversurf.com
Hover was founded in Moscow, Russia, in January 2014 by inventor, tech entrepreneur and businessman Alexander Atamanov. Atamanov holds bachelor’s degrees in engineering and law as well as a masters degree in the management of innovation processes. He has founded and sold several companies before founding Hover and holds numerous patents relating to the various products and services that he has successfully brought to the marketplace. Hoversurf was the company's original name.
It has been reported that some of the investors in the company include Qiwi, the Starta Ventures, Ismail Akhmetov, Nikolai Belykh, Evgeny Medvednikov, Maxim Korobov and possibly other Russian investors. In 2018, the company moved its Moscow headquarters to Burlingame, California but in 2019, Hover moved their headquarters back to Moscow.
The Hover Formula 2 electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) technology demonstrator is a full-sized prototype, with two side-by-side forward looking seats, has an open framework with roll bars, a lightbar just above the rear of the seats, has four stationary VTOL propellers, two stationary ducted propellers for forward flight and has fixed twin-wheeled quadricycle landing gear. While the prototype uses open propellers, the production aircraft will be fitted with electric ducted fans.
The prototype's estimated cruise speed is 200 km/h (124 mph), has an estimated range of 100 km (62 m) and has an estimated cruise altitude 150 m (492 ft). The dimensions of the aircraft are similar to a car which will allow the aircraft to park in a standard parking space, maneuver in a parking lot, drive in and out of a garage and even drive into the street.
Safety Systems:
- Distributed electric propulsion (DEP)
- Redundant systems
- Reduced complexity
- No tiltrotor transition mode
- No rotorblades, uses propellers
- Whole aircraft parachute
Ease Of Use:
- Unmanned aircraft system traffic management ready
- Full autopilot
- Can fit in a parking space
- Can take off and land in a parking space
- Has fast charge capability
- Can drive on the road to help park the aircraft
- Will easily integrate into any city's infrastructure
- Has luggage space
Noise:
- Quieter than a helicopter
Pollution:
- No carbon monoxide emissions
- An all electric aircraft
On January 15, 2021, Hover started flight testing the two passenger Formula 2 eVTOL Technology Demonstrator inside the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia. As of March 2021, the Luzhniki Stadium is largest football stadium in Russia and is the ninth largest stadium in Europe. The flight tests included uncrewed and crewed flights. Some of the main flight testing taking place includes lift and cruise flight modes, testing the aircraft parachute at low altitudes, aircraft systems and centralized control systems using 5G networks.
The company plans to build their first production model in 2021 and have approval to fly them over cities by 2023-2025.
Specifications:
- Aircraft type: eVTOL passenger aircraft
- Piloting: Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management ready and full autopilot
- Capacity: 2 passengers
- Cruise speed: 200 km/h (124 mph)
- Cruise altitude: 150 m (492 ft)
- Range: 100 km (62 m)
- Propellers: 10 propellers (8 VTOL propellers, 2 for forward flight)
- Electric Motors: 10 electric motors
- Power source: Batteries
- Maximum payload: 300 kg (661 lb)
- Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite
- Size: 1.6 X 5 m
- Windows: Open cockpit
- Landing gear: Fixed twin-wheeled quadricycle landing gear
- Safety Features: Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP), provides safety through redundancy for its passengers and/or cargo. DEP means having multiple propellers and motors on the aircraft so if one or more motors or propellers fail, the other working motors and propellers can safely land the aircraft. No open propellers, Artificial Intelligence (AI) object detection, digital roll-over protection, safety cage and whole aircraft parachute system.
Resources:
- Hover website
- Hover YouTube Channel
- Article: Testing of flying taxis started in Moscow, Popular Mechanics Russia, Jan. 19, 2021
- Article: Hover prototype first flight, Hoversurf, Jan. 21, 2021
- Video: Hover prototype 2021. Flying cars are coming!, Hover Official, Jan. 25, 2021
- Article: Moscow is testing flying taxis (photos + videos), Russia Beyond, Jan. 25, 2021
- Article: 'Flying taxi?' A Russian company is testing one, CGTN News, Jan. 26, 2021
- Article: Russian company tests flying taxi, ECNS, Jan. 26, 2021
- Article: Russian flying taxi on trial in Moscow hockey arena, The Times Hub, Jan. 30, 2021
- Article: Test flights of Russian passenger-carrying drone taxi, Drone DJ, Feb. 2, 2021
- Video: 2021 Tech: A Russian company, Hoversurf, is now testing flying taxis with plans for mass production in 2021, Yahoo Money, Feb. 8, 2021
- Video: The idea of Hover drone taxi, Hover Official, Feb. 23, 2021
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