Aerospace manufacturer Bell Helicopter unveiled their rotorcraft concept at Heli-Expo in Dallas, Texas this week.
The FCX-001 aircraft's frame is made from advanced sustainable materials, a hybrid power system, with a piloting system that can be controlled through augmented reality and an artificial intelligence computer assistant.
The passenger cabin has individualized entertainment systems, allowing passengers to watch TV, hold video conference calls and share documents with other passengers.
Aerospace manufacturer Bell Helicopter unveiled their rotorcraft concept at Heli-Expo in Dallas, Texas this week
The aircraft has an anti-torque system in the tail boom designed to improve safety, reduce noise and improve its performance.
Torque is a force that is the reaction of the rotor spinning around.
When the engine turns the rotor, there is an equal and opposite force that tries to turn the helicopter itself in the opposite direction.
This is similar to when someone uses an electric drill and it spins out of their hand when it becomes dislodged from whatever it's drilling.
So to prevent the body of a helicopter from spinning around, anti-torque systems were developed - they're a small propeller at the end of the aircraft.
The aircraft has morphing rotor blades that can change shape, allowing the aircraft to optimize performance in different flight conditions.
However, at each end is a 'morphing' section.
This allows the last few feet of the blades to swing forwards and backwards to optimize the rotor dynamics, rather like the way some fighter jets can 'sweep' their wings.
The morphing blades also help control tip noise in real time, and Bell said it has applied for a patent on the design.
The aircraft has morphing rotor blades that can change shape, allowing the aircraft to optimize performance in different flight conditions.
The FCX-001 aircraft's frame is made from advanced sustainable materials and is based on a hybrid power system
The airframe of the helicopter will harvest, store and distribute external energy or system energy not already being used for work on the air vehicle.
The airframe has also been designed to improve the aircraft's visibility and it customizable.
The aircraft has an anti-torque system in the tail boom designed to improve safety, reduce noise and improve its performance
The helicopter's hybrid propulsion system is composed of a thermal engine core which drives the main propulsion and feeds into the electric motors that provide power to the anti-torque propeller.
There is a single pilot seat in the front of the aircraft and the piloting system can be controlled through augmented reality and an artificial intelligence computer assistance system.
The passenger entertainment system will also be enhanced with the same augmented reality technology used for the piloting system
Its landing gear has non-traditional geometries that make it easier for the aircraft to function.
There is a single pilot seat in the front of the aircraft and a modular passenger cabin enhanced with the same augmented reality technology for the entertainment system.
THE FCX-001 AIRCRAFT - SPECS
