Terrafugia TF-2
Quick Summary
The Terrafugia TF-2 is a cargo-carrying eVTOL that is modular, allowing for a cargo pod to be picked up from a fulfillment center and then dropped off on either a truck or the packages' final destination.
Terrafugia, a Woburn, MA, USA company
Stage of Development
Preliminary Design
Prototype Build
Flight Testing
Certification
Commercially Operating
Technical Details
From the Terrafugia R&D Website:
With the recent acquisition of Terrafugia by the parent company of Volvo and Lotus, a world class team of engineers, and the creation of our new R&D facility just outside San Francisco, Terrafugia is positioning itself to be a major player in the world of automated VTOL vehicles.
Our next generation concept (TF-2) is a three-part integrated transportation system for Part 135 short haul operators who want to achieve a new level of convenience, comfort, and efficiency. With a detachable pod configuration your passengers or cargo will be able to travel seamlessly from point A to point B.
TF-2 is currently in the conceptual design stage and we are interested in collecting feedback from potential customers.
There are two concepts under consideration: a tilt-rotor (TR) and a lift-plus-push (LPP) configuration. The TR has performance advantages and the LPP has the advantage of mechanical simplicity.
Let us know which configuration you prefer and why here.
|
Configuration |
Lift + Push |
Tiltrotor |
|
Passengers |
4 |
4 |
|
MTOW |
8500-9000 lb 3860-4080 kg |
7500-8000 lb 3400-3630 kg |
|
Payload with 30 min fuel res |
900-1100 lb 410-500 kg |
900-1100 lb 410-500 kg |
|
Max cruise speed |
120-130 kts 222-240 km/h |
170-180 kts 315-333 km/h |
|
Range at max payload |
170-215 nm 315-400 km |
240-300 nm 445-555 km |
|
Cost per flight hour |
$370-$410 |
$380-$420 |
Our Take on the TF-2
The Terrafugia TF-2 concepts are well-thought out in that they address a large commercial application of eVTOL's that has not been given much consideration during the passenger oriented sprints that most companies are pursuing. The modular design of the TF-2 concepts allows them to be compatible with universal cargo pods - which means that they can transport a large amount of goods for roughly $400/hour, according to Terrafugia's predictions. While the concepts still have a long way to go in terms of development, they should be monitored closely, especially if Terrafugia can market themselves towards large logistics companies like UPS, FedEx, and even Amazon.
References
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