Sky Chaser (technology demonstrator)

Sky Chaser (technology demonstrator)
Sky Chaser
Fjugesta, Närke, Sweden
www.skychaser.se

Sky Chaser was founded in 2016 by Dr. William Walker and is headquartered in Fjugesta, Närke, Sweden. The company's goal is to design and manufacture hybrid-electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicles for advanced aerial mobility (AAM). In addition, this vehicle will fly, is also a roadable and is an amphibious craft. The company was originally headquartered in San Diego, California, USA but Walker moved the project to Sweden in 2020 to develop the full scale Sky Chaser prototype with his business partner Dr. Dag Stranneby. The company is currently seeking funding for the Sky Chaser project and estimates $100,000.00 USD will be needed to build and test the current prototype. The company needs further funding of 1 million USD to develop and test a crewed prototype. Sky Chaser designs are currently patent pending in the US and world wide via PCT.

The reason Walker started the company was due to seeing heavy freeway traffic in San Diego (California, USA), where the traffic on the freeways can become very slow or even stop for long periods of time. Walker has been following the electric vertical takeoff and landing (or eVTOL) technology industry and decided that now is the time to design and manufacture a practical flying car to help alleviate traffic jams.

Sky Chaser subscale and full-scale technology demonstrators
The current Sky Chaser technology demonstrators have two tilt-propellers for VTOL and forward flight, and has one rear dedicated VTOL propeller. The subscale and full-scale technology demonstrators are made without a cockpit. The vehicle looks very similar to a Formula 1 race car. If you look closely at the vehicle, you can see small stub wings between the cockpit and the outside fuselage were the wheels are housed. There is a rear tail with two vertical stabilizers and with a horizontal stabilizer mounted on the top. There is also a form of winglets on each side of the horizontal stabilizer.

The company has made and flown many ⅙ scale prototypes which were powered by battery packs. The company has developed and is testing a full scale uncrewed technology demonstrator. After this, the company will build and test several crewed full-scale prototypes. Once funding is received, the company expects to build and test a crewed prototype within one year.

The goal of making the Sky Chaser, is to make it easy for people to travel on the road, air and water. The company foresees the aircraft to be used for personal use, air taxi service, recreational use, search and rescue, police, military, air cargo, air racing and more. After the production model is successfully sold, a future model will holding two passengers, sitting one behind the other and will be manufactured by the company.

Specifications:

• Aircraft type: Subscale and full-scale Hybrid-electric VTOL technology demonstrator aircraft
• Piloting: Remote piloting
• Propellers: 3 propellers (2 tilt-propellers for VTOL and forward flight, 1 rear dedicated VTOL propeller for VTOL flight.)
• Electric motors: 3 electric motors for flight
• Power source: Batteries
• Fuselage: Unknown
• Wings: Stub wings between the cockpit and outer fuselage
• Tail: Has a high boom tail with 2 ailerons and 2 rudders
• Landing gear: 4 wheels used for landing gear, ground travel and to help steer the aircraft in water
• 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 in the sub-systems of the aircraft. When in flight, the aircraft has obstacle avoidance technology, GPS, Lidar, and visual cameras. If all propellers stop working, the aircraft can land on any road or flat surface and continue to drive down the road.

Related aircraft:

• Sky Chaser (concept design)

Resources:

• Sky Chaser website
• William Walker YouTube Channel
• Sky Chaser LinkedIn
• Video: 1 meter indoor hover, Sky Chaser, Feb. 11, 2022
• Video: Full scale Sky Chaser in flight simulator, William Walker, May 8, 2022
• Video: Test flight of 1/6 scale Sky Chaser vehicle, William Walker, May 8, 2022
• Article: High flying plans in Fjugesta, Sydnarke NYTT, May 11, 2022
• Article: Orebro professor builds flying car, Sveriges Radio, June 1, 2022
• Article: Sky Chaser flies towards the future, Maklarnytt & Motornytt (Mnytt), June 8, 2022
• Video: Amphibian mode, Sky Chaser, May 21, 2023
• Video: Land mode demonstration, Sky Chaser, May 21, 2023
• Video on LinkedIn: Developing 1st REAL Blade Runner style roadable flying car - Called Sky Chaser, Dr. William Walker, June 18, 2023