Prasad Mobula (concept design)

(Image credit: Hari Prasad)

Mobula (concept design)
Hari Prasad
Turin, Piedmont, Italy
www.linkedin.com/in/haric99

Hari Prasad based in Turin, Piedmont, Italy is an advanced mobility designer with a Masters in Transportation and a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering. Prasad designs short and long distance passenger electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for advanced air mobility (AAM), underground logistics pod vehicles (and systems) and architectural mobility.

When designing, Prasad is looking to the future and asking the following types of questions. How can humans co-exist in the wild and still preserve the biodiversity of the forests? How can we make mobility inside large urban areas both more convenient and cleaner? Can we find resources from nature to make our vehicles more sustainable? Some of his answers includes making high-rise houses where parts of the houses are modular and mobile. He proposes that passenger eVTOL aircraft is used as the main source of travel within cities. He also recommends to build eVTOL aircraft out of sustainable material.

Mobula long-range passenger eVTOL concept design aircraft
The Mobula is a futuristic and sleek looking long-range passenger eVTOL concept design aircraft made for advanced air mobility (AAM). The aircraft can be flown by one pilot or can use an artificial intelligent (AI) pilot, holds between five to seven people and also carries their luggage. The aircraft has several notable design features. Prasad designed the high wing to resemble the shape of the ocean-dwelling manta ray. Two forward swept canards have tilting electric ducted fans (EDFs) at each tip. The design of the aircraft was made to maximize aerodynamic efficiency.

The cruise speed of the aircraft is estimated to be 222-259 km/h (138-161 mph) and has a forecasted range of 280 km (174 m). The aircraft has 18 electric ducted fans (EDFs), 18 electric motors and is powered by batteries. Starting at the front of the aircraft, there are two tilting EDFs at the end of the forward swept canard wing which are used for VTOL and forward flight. There are 10 stationary EDFs which are inside the leading edge of the wing and used for forward, rearward and turning during flight. Then in the middle portion of the wing are six tilting EDFs which are used for both VTOL and forward flight (and rearward flight) and any type of maneuvering.

For the wings, there is a forward swept canard at the front of the aircraft and there is one high main rear wing (the designer calls this a manta ray wing) with winglets. The aircraft is made from carbon fiber composite for a high strength to low weight ratio. The aircraft's empty weight and maximum payload weight has not been proposed by the Prasad. A large front window stretches rearward throughout the fuselage providing the entire passenger cabin with a sun roof. Larger then conventional windows are located on the left and right side of the passenger cabin. The aircraft has fixed tricycle wheeled landing gear. The front landing strut, during flight, doubles as a forward ventral fin. The rear landing struts, during flight, double as two rear ventral strakes.

The safety features of the aircraft include distributed electric propulsion (DEP) which means that if one or two EDFs stop working, the remainder of the EDFs can land the aircraft safely. In the unlikely event that all EDFs stop working, the aircraft can land conventionally on a runway or roadway. There are also redundancies of critical components in the sub-systems of the aircraft providing safety through redundancy. Having multiple redundant systems on any aircraft decreases having any single point of failure and lessons the chance of an accident. The aircraft has no moving wing surfaces when transitioning from vertical to forward flight and the reverse which increases safety by reducing complexity.

Specifications:

• Aircraft type: Passenger eVTOL concept design aircraft
• Piloting: 1 pilot (or AI piloting)
• Capacity: 5-7 passengers
• Cruise speed: 222-259 km/h (138-161 mph)
• Range: 280 km (174 m)
• Maximum payload weight: Unknown
• Propellers: 18 electric ducted fans (EDFs), 6 EDFs located in the wings tilt for VTOL, forward flight and any other type of maneuvering. 10 EDFs are inside the wing for forward flight and are also used for maneuvering. 2 EDFs are in the front of the aircraft used for VTOL flight, forward flight and for maneuvering.
• Electric motors: 18 electric motors
• Power source: Batteries
• Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite
• Windows: Larger than conventional windows and a sunroof over the passenger cabin
• Wings: 1 rear high main delta wing with winglets. The designer calls the rear main wing a manta ray wing.
• Ventral fins/strakes: 1 forward ventral fin (that doubles as the front landing gear strut) and 2 rear ventral strakes (that double as the rear landing gear struts)
• Landing gear: Fixed tricycle wheeled landing gear
• Safety features: Distributed electric propulsion (DEP) means having multiple propellers (or electric ducted fans) and multiple electric motors on an aircraft so if one or more propellers (or electric ducted fans) or some electric motors fail, the other working propellers (or electric ducted fans) and electric motors can safely land the aircraft. DEP provides safety through redundancy for passengers or cargo. There are also redundancies of critical components in the sub-systems of the aircraft providing safety through redundancy. Having multiple redundant systems on any aircraft decreases having any single point of failure. The aircraft has no moving wing surfaces when transitioning from vertical to forward flight and the reverse which increases safety by reducing complexity.

Related Aircraft:

• Prasad Lifter (concept design)
• Prasad Mover (concept design)

Resources:

• Hari Prasad LinkedIn
• Hari Prasad Behance
• Hari Prasad Mobula Portfolio on Behance
• Hari Prasad Transportation Design Portfolio on Behance