Transportation and mobility are some of the hottest segments right now where the latest innovation is happening. While multiple big companies are working on flying taxis, there are also startups that are more focussed on aerial vehicles meant for an individual. If you have an image of a bike that can fly, you are not far off. Two innovative startups from the TU Delft University, Talaria and Silverwing, are working tirelessly to realise their goals of developing the superior flying motorbike drone, which will be showcased at the upcoming Amsterdam Drone Week.
Hermes II
As mentioned above, two notable startups will show off their innovative single-person flying drones. Hermes II is one of the drones that the team Talaria is developing and it will be showcased for the first time during the Amsterdam Drone Week. This project is being worked upon over 30 students from the startup and the Hermes II is a 2-meter tall drone with a rotor diameter of approximately 2.6m.
As you can see from the artist’s representation of the Hermes II, it looks something like a cross between a motorbike and a helicopter. Furthermore, the drone supports a modular design so that its components can be upgraded when required, which can be helpful in increasing its range of applications. Alexander Essle, one of the students working on the project, believes that with new European regulations and more options for flying drones, major companies will take an interest in their offering.
Application of the Hermes II are also quite prolific. As per Essle, it can not only be used to transport personnel to inaccessible terrains such as dense jungles and mountainous areas. ‘In São Paulo, helicopters are already being used to transport people from one part of the city to another. Our Hermes II can do this much more efficiently and effectively,’ says Essle. The vehicle could also be employed to serve the cargo transport market.
Silverwing S1
The startup Silverwing will show off its Silverwing S1 drone during the upcoming Amsterdam Drone Week. Touted to be the ‘most innovative personal aircraft in the industry,’ the vehicle is capable of flying a person over a range of 40 km. Featuring a design hybrid between a single-person aeroplane and a helicopter, the futuristic looking Silverwing S1 can take off vertically and transition to horizontal flight for increased efficiency. On top of it all, it is said to do all of this autonomously.
Bernd Rietberg, the startup’s spokesperson says, “The cargo transport sector in particular looks very promising, for example in the offshore and disaster relief sectors. It can be used to transport critical components quickly and efficiently, for example. We are seeing increasing numbers of disasters all over the world, which pose huge logistical challenges. Drones make it possible to transport all kinds of goods much more quickly, safely, and effectively, thus helping to save lives.’
Silverwing has already piqued the interest of the Ministry of Defence and various other players in the aviation sector. The startup first came up with a half-scale prototype and then built a full-scale prototype, which has undergone testing in recent months.
Amsterdam Drone Week and best inventors
As the name suggests, one can expect to see a slew of aerial innovations at the Amsterdam Drone Week, which is being hosted from December 4 to December 8. With an aim to showcase some of the latest in drone technologies, these four days would be any drone techie’s Disneyland. The venue will also serve as a medium for exchanging knowledge and expertise on current and future air mobility solutions, innovations, and essential regulations.
Some of the best inventions happening in the aviation and drone segment will be showcased at the Amsterdam Drone Week. The two TU Delft University startups are competing for the Boeing sponsored, international GoFly Prize. The objective is to design and build the ultimate single-person flying machine that is easy to operate, ultracompact, quiet, and electrically powered. The vehicle’s noise levels shouldn’t exceed 87 dB, which is equivalent to a slowly moving train. Another requirement is vertical take-off and landing.
Silverwing has already won two of the three stages of this competition and is in the top five of the 700 competing teams. The final ‘fly-off’ will take place in Silicon Valley, USA, on February 29 and the winner will be awarded $1 million.
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