Mohammad Talha Sajid: March 2014

The Moller Skycar is a prototype personal VTOL (vertical take-off and landing)aircraft – a "flying car" – invented by Paul Moller who has been attempting to develop such vehicles for fifty years.

Skycar M400
Role	Flying car (aircraft)
Manufacturer	Moller International
Designer	Paul Moller
Status	Under development
Unit cost	US$500,000 (estimated)

Moller Skycar M400.

Description

The craft said to be currently under development, the M400, is purported to ultimately transport four people; single-seat up to six-seat variations are also planned. It is described as a car since it is aimed at being a popular means of transport for anyone who can drive, incorporating automated flight controls, with the driver only inputting direction and speed required.

After forty years and $100,000,000 in expenditure the Skycar demonstrated limited tethered hovering capability in 2003. No subsequent testing has occurred, although public demonstrations have been announced and then cancelled. It has been extensively marketed for pre-order sale since the 1990s as Moller attempted to raise more money for 'development' but fifty years on is often cited as a real world example of physical product vaporware.

In April 2009, the National Post characterized the Moller M400 Skycar as a 'failure', and described the Moller company as "no longer believable enough to gain investors". On May 18, 2009, Dr. Moller has filed for personal protection under the Chapter 11 reorganization provisions of the federal bankruptcy law and it is unknown how this will impact the fate of his ideas; Moller International itself did not file for bankruptcy but reduced operations.

Operation

A Skycar is not piloted like a traditional fixed wing airplane, and has only two hand-operated controls, which the pilot uses to inform the computer control system of the desired flight maneuvers. The Skycar's ducted fans deflect air vertically for takeoff and horizontally for forward flight. The ducted fans also encase the propellers, which prevents bystanders from being exposed to moving blades as well as improving aerodynamic efficiency at low speeds.

Rotapower engines

The engines to be used are being developed by a separate Moller company called Freedom Motors. They are Wankel engines they call "Rotapower" which have a direct drive to a propulsion fan. Each fan is contained in Kevlar-lined housings with intake screens to provide protection to bystanders. The Skycar has four engine nacelles, each with two computer-controlled Rotapower engines. All eight engines operate independently and, as demonstrated in during a tethered flight, will allow for a vertical controlled landing should any one fail.

The Rotapower Wankel engine announced by Freedom Motors has the claimed ability to operate on any fuel. Earlier Rotapower models used gasoline.

Despite announcements since 2001 the Rotapower engine has never been produced as a product. In 2009, Moller claimed to have a backlog of 900,000 orders for the engine, but those claimed units were never manufactured.

Variants

Moller M150 Skycar: The initial single seat technology demonstrator, incorporating the fuselage of a Bede BD-5 with two of Moller's ducted fan propulsor units. Prototype only; never flown.
Moller M400 Skycar: The prototype version powered by four Moller propulsors incorporating Rotapower 500 wankel rotary engines; has flown several times to date without a pilot but tethered via slack safety line to an overhead crane
Moller 400 Skycar: Production version; unbuilt.
Moller 100LS and 200LS: Proposed 1-and-2 seat volantor air vehicles, similar to the 400 Skycar
Moller Neuera: "Flying Saucer"-type volantor with 2 seats; has flown several times with a pilot but tethered via slack safety line to an overhead crane. This volantor is meant to operate in ground effect only