Related Sections: Future Tech Military Vehicles
Trek Aerospace flying exoskeleton looks naked without laser cannons, missile launchers
Trek Aerospace's Springtail exoskeleton will come in handy once we're invaded by similarly equipped aliens, just like in Exosquad. The "exoskeleton flying vehicle" is described by the company as a "single operator power lift vehicle." It flies using a pair of five-bladed, counter-rotating rotors with ducts that can tilt to pitch and yaw, and vanes are mounted below the rotors to control direction. It can liftoff carrying over 350 pounds, travel for almost 200 miles, operate for over two hours and cruise at 100 miles per hour.
So what's the Springtail good for? Right now, it's more of a demonstration of Trek Aerospace's hardware, though the company foresees it filling roles "that encompass crop dusting, search and rescue, emergency response, transportation, and delivering cargo." And, of course, fighting aliens and helping secret agents travel about.
By JWWright at 6:08 PM ON 05/04/09
Hasn't this been around for over a decade? Has anyone actually bought one yet?
By joed2024 at 11:09 PM ON 05/04/09
At least a decade.
By The Voice at 2:45 AM ON 05/05/09
Didn't those guys over at "MythBusters" try and make one of these? (it didn't fly, but looked better)
By courtney2018 at 10:18 AM ON 05/05/09
Looks like a bonified death trap to me.
By Erebiel at 10:25 AM ON 05/05/09
"...And when one of the fans borks, you die..."
By Shed_Dweller at 10:24 PM ON 05/05/09
Sure, it may not work.
Sure, if it did, you probably wouldn't have more than 20 minutes flying time and it may be a death trap.
But it's a potential death trap that could fit in my shed and scare the neighbours..... B-D
By badmooonryzn at 7:50 AM ON 05/14/09
At least it flies. The crazy Moller that has the rotary engined flying car has yet to fly the thing in the last 20 years, however he pretends it flies and has managed to get billions of dollars invested in that dry hole. Moller International has pissed away so many peoples money he should be called Obama's Mama!
By McKWilkie at 1:16 PM ON 05/16/09
If this works, I can get up to the mountains , ski for a couple of hours and be back in the Bay Area for supper.
By flyboy51 at 12:33 AM ON 06/19/09
This thing was flying around Lodi, CA about 4 years ago. I hear the next-gen is a hybrid; if the engine quits, the batteries give you enough time to safely land.
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flyboy51:
This thing was flying around Lodi, CA about 4 years ago. I hear the next-gen is a hybrid; if the engine quits, the...More »