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Volocopter VC2 (defunct prototype)

Volocopter (e-volo) VC2 prototype

 

VC2 (defunct prototype)
Volocopter GmbH
Bruschal, Germany
www.volocopter.com

Volocopter GmbH was founded in 2011 in Karlsruhe, Germany, by Alexander Zosel and Stephen Wolf with the intent of making an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) multicopter aircraft for fast and efficient advanced air mobility (AAM). Advanced air mobility has also been called urban air travel. On Oct. 21, 2011, the company made history by making the first crewed flight in the world of a multicopter, named the VC1. The multicopter was flown in southwest Germany by co-founder, primary designer, inventor and builder, Thomas Senkel. The Guinness Book of World Records has the historic flight listed on their website. The company was originally known as "e-volo GmbH" until being renamed to "Volocopter GmbH" in July 2017 and the company is now based in Bruchsal, Germany.

The Volocopter VC1 was the first crewed eVTOL multicopter flight in the world and was succeeded by the Volocopter VC2. The Volocopter VC1 is a one passenger eVTOL prototype aircraft with 16 individual rotors and has a maximum flight time of 20 minutes.

VC2 one passenger eVTOL defunct multicopter prototype aircraft
The VC2 is a one passenger eVTOL multicopter prototype aircraft (now defunct) and was debuted at the July 2012 EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA. The pilot's seat was a paraglider harness with back protection located under the propellers for safety reasons and was located in the center of the aircraft. However, the VC2 never had a crewed flight, it was only flown remotely. The aircraft had several separate computers onboard for flight control.

The anticipated cruise speed was 100 km/h (62 mph) and had a calculated maximum altitude of 1,981 m (6,500 ft). The multicopter featured 18 propellers (two more than the VC1), 18 electric motors and was powered by batteries. The multicopter had a flight time of more than one hour. The central seat was used for test payloads.

This Buckminster Fuller-inspired design was chosen so that everything would fit into a small box that could be easily shipped. The VC2's body consisted of a tetrahedron/octahedron aluminum truss frame. All struts were equal, one meter in length each, and there are two types of nodes: regular and one with the motor mounting plate. The VC2 was a more sophisticated design, very lightweight, rigid and a stronger aircraft, than the VC1.

The company made radio controlled test flights with the VC2, but there were no crewed flights. The aircraft had flight controls, separate and mutually monitoring onboard flight computers monitoring each motor for altitude and directional control and had a battery management unit. The eVTOL aircraft had three fixed pilate balls in a tricycle formation under the open airframe for its landing gear.

Volocopter plans on manufacturing multicopter aircraft, running the air taxi service, building Voloports, allow passengers to request a flight through an app, will not be selling their aircraft to individuals and will offer air taxi urban travel at competitive prices.

Volocopter stated in November 2019 that the VC1, VC2, VC200 and 2X prototypes have collectively made over 1,000 test flights in the world, including in Dubai and Singapore.

Specifications:

  • Aircraft type: Passenger eVTOL multicopter prototype aircraft
  • Capacity: 1 pilot/passenger (however, it was never flown with a pilot, the multicopter was only remotely flown)
  • Flight control: Joystick
  • Cockpit: Pilot underneath the propellers, centered in the aircraft, in an open air cockpit. The aircraft has several separate computers onboard for flight control.
  • Cruising speed: 100 km/h (62 mph)
  • Flight time: More than one hour
  • Maximum altitude: 1,981 m (6,500 ft)
  • Propellers: 18 propellers
  • Electric motors: 18 electric motors (each electric motor has an output of 2 kw)
  • Batteries: Unknown number, possibly 18, with a battery management unit 
  • Fuselage: No covered fuselage, the aircraft has open aluminum framework
  • Landing gear: Three pilate balls in a tricycle formation under the open airframe
  • 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. Future aircraft will have ballistic parachutes for additional safety.

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