US Army's hoverbike takes flight
In its current form, the prototype is able carry 300 lb (136 kg)(Credit: Jhi Scott/ARL)
What started as crazy DIY project
in an Australian backyard six years ago has now blossomed into a
cutting-edge aircraft for the US Army. We've tracked the various
iterations of the Malloy Hoverbike since inventor Chris Malloy first
showed off a prototype in 2011, and now after teaming up the US Department of Defense
the mechanical engineer has seen a military version of his little baby
take flight, with officials hoping to use it for resupply missions to
create an "Amazon on the battlefield."
The
latest version of the oversized quadcopter might now have a suitably
militarized moniker, joint tactical aerial resupply vehicle (JTARV), but
is still known affectionately as a hoverbike, even in the US Army's
press release.
Like the four-rotor vehicle
we spied up close back in August 2014, the JTARV is an electric,
rectangular-shaped quadcopter with the ability to do some heavy lifting.
In its current form the prototype is
able carry 300 lb (136 kg), though army researchers are hoping to extend
this by way of a hybrid propulsion system which could one day have it
flying along at altitudes of thousands of feet and speeds of 60 mph (96
km/h).
"We're exploring increasing payload
capacity to 800 lb (362 kg) and extending the range up to 125 miles (200
km)," said Tim Vong, associate chief of the US Army Research Laboratory
(ARL). "We're also looking to integrate advanced intelligent navigation
and mission planning. We're looking to end up with a modular, stable
platform that can be used for even more dynamic and challenging
missions."
On January 10, Department of Defense
officials paid the ARL researchers a visit to see the JTARV in flight
and up close. You can check it out for yourself in the video below.
Source: US Army
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