Aston Martin reveals vertical take-off concept
No, we're not kidding...
Who would have thought? Turns out shoehorning a 4.7-litre V8 into a Cygnet is not as mad as Aston concepts will get in July. Instead that honour falls to this, the Volante Vision Concept, assuming that there's not a V12 Vantage tank or something similar revealed before August 1st.
Designed in collaboration with Cranfield University, Cranfield Aerospace solutions and Rolls-Royce, the Volante Vision Concept is described as "an exciting alternative transportation solution for customers across the globe", a concept that "unites the world's best aerospace experts, propulsion specialists and designers."
As you can see, the Volante Vision Concept is not like anything that's been released by Aston - or indeed any automotive firm - in the past. With its vertical take-off and landing like a Harrier Jump Jet (but now with electricity), the concept is said to offer a look at what potential future urban transport could look like as we search for solutions to increasingly congested cities. Or, in the words of Andy Palmer, "We need to look at alternative solutions to reduce congestion, cut pollution and improve mobility. Air travel will be a crucial part in the future of transportation, the Volante Vision Concept is the ultimate is the ultimate luxury mobility solution." You'd rather spend your hour-long commute in this than a Cygnet, wouldn't you?
That's really the point of the Volante Vision Concept; if people could get to work with less congestion, then they could live further away. Or in the slightly less idyllic version, cities expand further into giant, sprawling metropolises and so those previously rural outposts become commuter towns. Whatever the scenario, Aston sees there being a lot more travel by air, with this Volante providing "fast, efficient and congestion free luxurious travel."
The concept can carry three people electrically and autonomously, designed specifically for urban and inter-city use. Along with the design and tech input from Cranfield and Rolls-Royce, the Volante Vision has been designed by Marek Reichmann; you certainly can't say all Astons look the same now! He described the concept as a "unique chance to create a luxury aircraft that will represent the ultimate fusion of art and technology."
Aston says this is a "near-future" study, so what that means for its actual feasibility as a project we're not quite sure. It's hard to picture people commuting by Aston electric plane in the next few years, put it that way. It's being presented at the Farnborough Air Show this week though, so if you're there and do get chance to see it, please send us a pic. Wonder what Aston has lined up for us next week...
Meh.
Most of the issues around personal craft like this are legislative. How do you ensure safety and maintenance, what happens if it stops working over populated areas, how do large fleets of these things navigate and so on...
Meh.
Most of the issues around personal craft like this are legislative. How do you ensure safety and maintenance, what happens if it stops working over populated areas, how do large fleets of these things navigate and so on...
The technical challenges of getting sufficient energy density in the batteries is also a colossal hurdle that is nowhere near being fixed and won't be for a long time, especially in the context of approving the technology for use in an aircraft. The solution doesn't exist. When it does, it'll be a long time before it is robust enough for fitment as the primary energy store for a public transport aircraft.
I'm 40 and I don't expect to see anything like this out in the real world until I'm long retired and probably pushing up daisies.
So, this is another Brand building exercise from Aston, rather than anything remotely feasible. Therefore Meh.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44840953
The technical challenges of getting sufficient energy density in the batteries is also a colossal hurdle that is nowhere near being fixed and won't be for a long time, especially in the context of approving the technology for use in an aircraft. The solution doesn't exist. When it does, it'll be a long time before it is robust enough for fitment as the primary energy store for a public transport aircraft.
I'm 40 and I don't expect to see anything like this out in the real world until I'm long retired and probably pushing up daisies.
So, this is another Brand building exercise from Aston, rather than anything remotely feasible. Therefore Meh.
I don't see how anything remotely similar to this is possible unless everyone takes a pilot's licence. Given all the imaginative ways people manage to crash cars, flying machines opens a whole world of exciting possibilities.
Autonomy is surely the only way this will ever take off (!) and that still doesn't answer the problems of them landing in busy areas, noise and all of the other potential problems.
Fanciful nonsense.
Anyway, it's all well and good making it easier to commute into heavily congested cities, but where will they all park?
Anyway, it's all well and good making it easier to commute into heavily congested cities, but where will they all park?
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