Kovacs Flike
Flike
Kovacs
Budapest, Hungary
www.behance.net
Robert Kovacs is an industrial, automotive and aeronautical designer based in Hungary. Kovacs made this electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) concept design for one of his class projects to complete his Master of Arts Transportation Design degree at the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design (located in Budapest, Hungary). The reason why Kovacs wanted to design eVTOL aircraft is that he believes eVTOL aircraft will became popular in the future due to the wide variety of real world missions that can be accomplished with eVTOL aircraft.
A Flike is a tricopter with a hybrid-electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) hoverbike concept aircraft which was designed by Kovacs for the extreme adventure enthusiast. The pilot doesn't need a lot of special training due to how easy it is to fly the aircraft.
The Flike, or flying bike, has similar seating as a motorcycle, an open cockpit, a cruise speed of 100 kp/h (62 mph) and has a grand total of three sets of ducted propellers, with two sets propellers in the front of the aircraft and one set of ducted propellers in the rear. The designer notes that the center of gravity must be in the correct place to make this aircraft airworthy and engineering calculations must be precise.
The aircraft has a glass cockpit, two joy sticks to control the aircraft and the aircraft will have semi-autonomous flight control to help the pilot fly the aircraft safely. However, the hoverbike can be remote controlled or flown autonomously with the pilot on board. Safety features are also located in the glass cockpit, for example, if the aircraft is getting low on battery power, the glass cockpit will warn the pilot to "LAND NOW." In addition, the Kovacs has designed this VTOL aircraft so it can be flown autonomously and uncrewed.
A working crewed prototype was designed and flown in 2015 in Hungary. It is unknown if the Flike has had any progress since 2015.
Specifications:
- Aircraft type: Hybrid-electric VTOL hoverbike
- Piloting: 1 person with two joysticks to control the hoverbike
- Cruise speed: 100 kp/h (62 mph)
- Maximum altitude: 30 meters
- Flight time: 60 minutes
- Maximum payload: 100 kg (200 lb)
- Maximum gross weight: 400 kg (882 lb)
- Propellers: 6
- Electric Motors: 6
- Power source: Combustion engine creating electricity to power the electric motors for the propellers
- Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite
- Cockpit: Open cockpit
- Landing gear: Fixed tricycle type 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. The aircraft as computerized built-in safety features which don't allow the aircraft to be flown too high or too fast. The aircraft can also land by itself if necessary.
Resources:
- Robert Kovacs website
- Flike web page
- Robert Kovacs YouTube Channel
- Robert Kovacs Instagram
- Robert Kovacs Tumbler
- Robert Kovacs Pinterest
- Robert Kovacs LinkedIn
- Video: Flike First Manned Flight, Balazs Kerulo, Mar. 10, 2015
- Video: FLIKE Controlled Flight, Balazs Kerulo, May 3, 2015
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