Pentagon’s Flying Car Program Takes Of
The Pentagon’s far-out research agency has unveiled more details of their plan to create a shape-shifting, multipurpose car.
Flying cars have been tried before, dozens of times. And a few of the efforts have even succeeded. But the Pentagon concept is several steps ahead of existing vehicles, like the Terrafugia Transition, which is more like a lightweight plane that can, by folding up its wings, operate on land. The Transition also needs runways for takeoff and landing, and can’t fly in harsh weather.
And, in what could either mean revolutionary progress or massive failure, this initiative has out-there military agency Darpa behind it. In January, the agency, who has been toying with the flying car idea since at least 2008, hosted a proposer’s day workshop for their new Transformer (TX) project. At the time, details were sketchy: Darpa wanted a “morphing vehicle body” that could operate largely autonomously, reducing the chance of human piloting error in high-risk war zones. Plus, the agency’s initial documents noted, a hovering car would be able to cruise over obstacles and avoid areas rife with IEDs.
Read More http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/04/pentagons-flying-car-program-takes-off/#ixzz0l7OGh4iU
The Pentagon’s far-out research agency has unveiled more details of their plan to create a shape-shifting, multipurpose car.
Flying cars have been tried before, dozens of times. And a few of the efforts have even succeeded. But the Pentagon concept is several steps ahead of existing vehicles, like the Terrafugia Transition, which is more like a lightweight plane that can, by folding up its wings, operate on land. The Transition also needs runways for takeoff and landing, and can’t fly in harsh weather.
And, in what could either mean revolutionary progress or massive failure, this initiative has out-there military agency Darpa behind it. In January, the agency, who has been toying with the flying car idea since at least 2008, hosted a proposer’s day workshop for their new Transformer (TX) project. At the time, details were sketchy: Darpa wanted a “morphing vehicle body” that could operate largely autonomously, reducing the chance of human piloting error in high-risk war zones. Plus, the agency’s initial documents noted, a hovering car would be able to cruise over obstacles and avoid areas rife with IEDs.
Read More http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/04/pentagons-flying-car-program-takes-off/#ixzz0l7OGh4iU
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