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Trek Aerospace FlyKart 2 (prototype)

FlyKart 2 passenger eVTOL prototype aircraft

(Photo credit: Trek Aerospace)

FlyKart 2 (prototype)
Trek Aerospace
Folsom, California, USA
www.trekaero.com

Trek Aerospace, Inc. is a small engineering company based in Folsom, California, USA. Founded on March 18, 1996 as “Millennium Jet, Inc.”, the company changed their name to Trek Aerospace on July 3, 2002 because people thought the company was building jets. To clarify, SoloTrek was a name for certain models of Trek Aerospace's aircraft. SoloTrek was never the name of the company. The company is dedicated to understanding and improving shrouded propeller performance and efficiency. In the process, they developed their own proprietary CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) software, TASPA (Trek Aerospace Shrouded Propeller Analysis).

The company has stated all of their aircraft designs are very flexible when it comes to scalability, electric motors used, propeller types and the type of power source used. That is, all previous conventionally powered aircraft the company has created can be converted to eVTOL aircraft and can be updated with the latest in avionics, electronics, propellers and electric (all batteries or hybrid-electric) power sources. All of the company's aircraft have been designed for advanced air mobility (AAM).

The company has designed and made multiple vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft including its exoskeleton backpack "helicopters" using shrouded propellers in the airframe design. Some articles refer to the exoskeleton backpack helicopter as a jetpack, even though there are no jet engines involved in the backpack aircraft. The company has also designed and made watercraft. Trek Aerospace also assists and teams with other companies, large and small, in the design, fabrication, and licensing of projects involving shrouded propellers and/or autonomous control systems. For example, Trek Aerospace built XTI Aircraft Company's TriFan subscale proof of concept (POC) aircraft.

Trek Aerospace Shrouded Propeller Analysis
Testing at NASA and university wind tunnels has validated the accuracy of the Trek Aerospace Shrouded Propeller Analysis (TASPA). Flight testing of both crewed and uncrewed vehicles has further verified the real-world applications of Trek’s technology. The company states their core technology has the highest specific thrust (lb/kW) in the industry. Aircraft designed by Trek define the efficiency curve used in the UBER Elevate white paper.

This efficiency allows aircraft to carry more weight in a smaller footprint. According to the company, their shrouded propellers require less power, use fewer batteries, have a greater payload and have a farther range than other battery powered aircraft. Furthermore, the company states their shrouded propellers have outperformed similar free propellers to airspeeds in excess of 230 mph (371 km/h), negating much of the drag penalty associated with ducted propellers.

FlyKart 2 passenger eVTOL prototype aircraft
The FlyKart 2 is one passenger eVTOL prototype aircraft. The prototype has an open cockpit with a single seat in the middle of the aircraft. The FlyKart and all its variations was originally design for the GoFly competition sponsored by Boeing. The goal of the company was to design a simple, safe, reliable, lightweight, low cost, quiet, easy-to-build and fun personal flying device. The prototype's shape (as seen from the top of the aircraft) was inspired by the Star Wars movie's spaceship called the Millennium Falcon.

The cruise speed of the aircraft is 52 mph (83 km/h), has a maximum speed of 63 mph (102 km/h) and has a flight time of more than 30 minutes. The prototype has 10 ducted propellers, 10 electric motors and is powered by battery packs. The fuselage is made from carbon fiber composite to give the aircraft a high strength to low weight ratio. The prototype has fixed quadricycle wheeled landing gear. 

Four iterations of the craft were built for the competition, referred to as the FlyKart 2.1-2.4. All iterations use ducted fan propellers: a staple of Trek Aerospace's designs. As the aircraft matured, it experienced an increase in power and massive reduction in empty and airframe weight. This is due both to the reduction of ducts on the aircraft and the replacement of aluminum components with those made of carbon fiber. The FlyKart 2 also utilizes shrouded propellers, which reduces the noise generated by the craft while increasing pilot safety and thrust generated.

FlyKart Four Iterations

  • FlyKart 2.1: Aluminum airframe, unfaired
  • FlyKart 2.2: Carbon composite fiber airframe, unfaired. Frame weight reduced from 18-1/2 lb to 10-1/2 lb. Although the reduction in weight was only about 8 lb, it was a 32% reduction in weight.
  • FlyKart 2.3: Interim aluminum frame used to test a 12 duct configuration
  • FlyKart 2.4: Carbon composite frame with full fairing

GoFly Prize and GoAero Prize Competition and Information
Trek Aerospace entered the GoFly Prize competition and with the FlyKart 2, was awarded as one of Phase 1 and Phase 2 winning teams. The Phase 1 winning teams were announced in June 14, 2018 and as a Phase 1 winning team, Trek Aerospace was awarded $20,000.00 USD. On March 26, 2019 GoFly Prize announced that Trek Aerospace completed Phase II of the GoFly challenge and will receive $50,000.00 USD in prizes.

While the team had planned to participate in the February 2020 GoFly Fly Off, an electronic speed controller fire rendered FlyKart 2.3 inoperable. The team was still present at Moffet Field with the FlyKart 2.4. Trek Aerospace has a new FlyKart 3 eVTOL prototype. For the final GoFly fly-off event, one team will receive $1 million (USD). However, it has been reported that the GoFly Final Flyoff was cancelled and the million dollar prize was rolled over into Boeing's new aircraft contest called the GoAero Prize that will have over $2 million USD in prize money. 

Trek Aerospace, FlyKart 2.4

Trek Aerospace Flykart 2 side view

Trek Aerospace, FlyKart 2, top view

Trek Aerospace FlyKart 2 March 2019

Trek Aerospace FlyKart prototype

Trek Aerospace FlyKart 2

Specifications:

  • Aircraft type: Passenger eVTOL prototype personal flying device
  • Pilot: 1 pilot with autopilot technology
  • Cruise speed: 52 mph (83 km/h)
  • Maximum speed: 63 mph (102 km/h)
  • Flight time: 30+ minutes
  • Propellers: 10 ducted propellers
  • Electric motors: 10 electric motors (5.6- kW)
  • Power source: 9.6 kWh battery packs
  • Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite
  • Width: 6-1/2 ft (2 m)
  • Length: 6.2 ft (1.95 m)
  • Height: 3.9 ft (1.2 m)
  • Cockpit: Open cockpit
  • Landing gear: Fixed quadricycle wheeled landing gear
  • Safety Features: Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP) uses multiple propellers or electric ducted fans, each powered by electric motors, to increase safety through redundancy. If one or more components fail, the remaining ones can still ensure a safe landing. 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 auto-pilot system, 4-point safety harness and screened propellers.

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