A new-generation Austrian company has advanced the Voith Schneider propulsion system to rotate on a transverse-axis above water in aeronautical applications, with vertical lift-off capability. This technology has potential applications in wing-in-ground (WIG) vehicles that require vertical lift-off at land-based coastal terminals. The history of transverse-axis machinery in vessel propulsion predates longitudinal-axis propellers, with side-wheel and stern-wheel propulsion technology evolving from waterwheels. During the early 20th century, attempts were made to adapt transverse-axis technology to airplane propulsion, with limited success.
The Voith group adapted Ernst Schneider’s turbine concept to operate as a water pump, developing it into a propulsion system for a ferry vessel by 1931. In the early 1960s, a horizontal-axis version of the Voith Schneider technology was developed for aircraft. In Austria, the Cyclo Tech group has adapted modern, lightweight, high-strength materials to operate the technology on a transverse-axis in aeronautical propulsion. The technology offers vertical lift-off, touch-down, and propulsion, making it suitable for ground effect vehicles at coastal terminals.
Cyclo Tech is focused on developing a flying car based on the Voith Schneider concept for aeronautical service, capable of ferrying passengers between ships and coastal locations. The inclusion of ground effect wings in the design extends the operating range of the flying car across water. The vertical lift-off and touch-down capability make it ideal for carrying ship pilots to and from vessels or personnel to and from offshore platforms. Future development may involve increasing rotor size, developing vehicles with multiple rotors, and incorporating ground-effect wings for higher speed and extended range.
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