Moller International Skycar® 600 LAMV (concept design)

Skycar® 600 LAMV (concept design)
Moller International / Freedom Motors
Dixon, California, USA
www.moller.com
www.freedom-motors.com

Moller International was founded in 1983 as a spin-off of Moller Corporation to continue to design, develop and manufacture conventional and hybrid-electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) passenger and cargo aircraft. Moller's aircraft being manufactured for use in the nascent advanced air mobility (AAM) industry. The company is designing aircraft that are safe, efficient, affordable, easy-to-use as automobiles, low noise, low emissions, low fuel usage, low purchase price, low operating cost and can use existing transportation networks. The company is headquartered in Dixon, California, USA.

The company has developed and integrated novel technologies required for small, powered-lift VTOL aircraft. These include electronic stabilization and control systems, efficient ducted fan designs, thrust vectoring mechanisms and aerodynamically stable composite airframe structures. The single most significant spin-off technology is the Rotapower engine, a Wankel rotary engine. This engine is now produced and marketed by Freedom Motors.

Historically, the company has primarily focused on using petroleum fueled engines for their power source of their aircraft designs and prototypes. Moller International confirmed in June 2023, they are now designing all their aircraft as hybrid-electric VTOL passenger and cargo aircraft. At the same time, it was also confirmed with Moller that any of their past and current aircraft can be designed and manufactured as hybrid-electric VTOL or all-electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

The Skycar® 600 LAMV (Light Aerial Multi-purpose Vehicle) hybrid-electric VTOL passenger and cargo military concept design aircraft
The Skycar® 600 LAMV (Light Aerial Multi-purpose Vehicle) is a six passenger hybrid-electric or all-electric VTOL military concept design aircraft. The aircraft has one pilot and can carry five military personnel, air cargo or a combination of both. The estimated cruise speed of the aircraft is 305 mph (491 km/h), has a maximum speed of 395 mph (645 km/h) and has a range of 750 miles (1,207 km). The maximum payload of the aircraft is approximately 1,250 lb (567 kg) and has an operational altitude of 25,000 feet (7,620 km).

The aircraft has large helicopter type windows for the pilots and has larger than conventional side windows for passengers. The aircraft has four propeller nacelles that also hold engines or electric motors. The aircraft has tandem type wings and has a T-tail. The fuselage is made of carbon fiber composite material to keep the aircraft light but with a strong airframe. The aircraft also has retractable wheeled landing gear.

The aircraft has been made with military specifications in mind. The aircraft has reduced complexity to keep purchase price and maintenance cost to a minimum. This also extends the service life of the aircraft and increases the safety of the aircraft. The aircraft can land in unimproved landing areas and areas where there is uneven terrain. The aircraft has also been designed with limited space requirements the military has for ship-board transportation.

Moller International foresees Skycar® 600 LAMV to be used for military operations, on and off the battle field including search and rescue (SAR), medical evacuation (Medevac), logistic supply deliveries, surveillance and special personnel transport.

The Skycar® 600 could also meet the requirements of commercial high-value cargo delivery, air taxi, and emerging VTOL transportation service providers.

Specifications:

• Aircraft type: Hybrid-electric or all electric VTOL passenger military concept design aircraft
• Piloting: 1 pilot
• Capacity: 5 people and/or cargo or a combination of both
• Cruise speed: 305 mph (491 km/h)
• Maximum speed: 395 mph (645 km/h)
• Range: 750 miles (1,207 km)
• Operational altitude: 25,000 feet (7,620 km)
• Maximum payload: 1,250 lb (567 kg)
• Propellers: 4 propeller nacelles
• Power source: Hybrid-electric or all electric power source depending upon the customer and current technology
• Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite
• Window: Large windows for the pilots and larger than conventional side windows for passengers
• Wings: Tandem wings
• Tail: T-tail
• Landing gear: Retractable tricycle wheeled landing gear
• Safety features: Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP), provides safety through redundancy for its passengers and/or cargo. DEP means having multiple propellers (or ducted fans) and motors on the aircraft so if one or more propellers (ducted fans) or motors fail, the other working propellers (or ducted fans) and motors can safely land the aircraft. There are also redundancies of critical components in the sub-systems of the aircraft.

Related Aircraft:

• Moller International Aerobot® (concept design)
• Moller International Autovolantor (concept design)
• Moller International Firefly (concept design)
• Moller International Neuera 200 (prototype)
• Moller International Skycar® 100 (prototype)
• Moller International Skycar® 200  (concept design)
• Moller International Skycar® 400  (prototype)
• Moller International Skycar® M200 (prototype)
• Moller International Skycar® M900 (concept design)

Company Insights:

• Pitchbook
• Crunchbase
• Tracxn

Resources:

• Moller International website
• Freedom Motors website
• Moller International Facebook
• Moller International Twitter
• Moller International YouTube Channel
• Moller International LinkedIn
• Skycar® 600 LAMV web page
• Video: MarineCorpsSkycar, Bruce Calkins, Nov. 28, 2012