In this blog post, we will look at the emergence of flying cars and the principles of mechanical and aerospace engineering that made it possible, and predict changes in future transportation.
A new revolution of flying cars, led by mechanical and aerospace engineering
The development of transportation has played an important role in changing the way people live throughout human history. In the early days, people moved around using carriages and carts powered by animals, but the advent of the internal combustion engine and the automobile completely changed the paradigm of transportation. These changes brought cities closer together and the world evolved into a more connected society. However, internal combustion engine vehicles still have their limitations, and the need to address environmental and traffic congestion issues is becoming more pressing.
The cars we commonly use today can travel hundreds of kilometers in a single day using the power of an internal combustion engine. Cars are also called the “flower of mechanical engineering” because of their convenience, and we can easily access this innovative means of transportation thanks to Ford’s mass production assembly line. However, the popularization of cars has brought about a number of problems. As the number of cars increases, traffic congestion has worsened, and roads turn into parking lots, especially during rush hour and on holidays. A typical example is the situation where highways are jammed every holiday.
Moreover, due to the nature of internal combustion engine technology, fuel continues to burn even when the car is stationary, resulting in unnecessary energy consumption and contributing to environmental pollution. These problems have led many people to occasionally imagine, “How wonderful it would be if cars could fly.”
Have you seen Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets? After Harry and Ron miss the Hogwarts Express, they take a flying car to the school. While watching this scene, you may think it is a fantasy that is far removed from reality, but the recently developed Terrafugia flying car is making this imagination a reality.
The flying principle of the Terrafugia flying car
So how can a car that rolls on the ground fly in the sky like a terrapin? Flying can be explained by two principles: Newton’s third law and Bernoulli’s principle.
First, Newton’s third law is the principle that every action has a corresponding reaction. Air flowing along the surface of an airplane wing moves at a constant speed and generates a force that lifts the wing upward. This is similar to the phenomenon of pouring water into a spoon and pushing the spoon away as the water flows. Air flowing from the underside of the wing lifts the wing upward, causing the object to float in the air.
Next, Bernoulli’s principle explains the relationship between speed and pressure based on the law of conservation of energy. Since the speed of the air passing through the lower part of the wing is slower than the air passing through the upper part, the pressure on the lower part is greater. This pressure difference generates a force that pushes the wing upward, i.e. lift. Through these principles, I have proven that it is scientifically possible for a car to fly.
Terrafugia: The flying car of the future
Terrafugia is the world’s first flying car, designed to run on the ground and fly in the sky. The most innovative part of this vehicle is its folding wings, which take just 30 seconds to deploy. It is so space-efficient that it can be stored in a private garage, and it completed its first successful test flight in 2012. The Terrafugia can carry a load of about 600 kg and can fly at a maximum speed of 222 km/h. In comparison, a light aircraft can carry about 115 kg of luggage and fly at 100 km/h. The Terrafugia is very good in terms of performance, and it boasts a lower operating cost than jet fuel, especially since it uses unleaded fuel. The flight distance is up to 740 km, which is a very impressive figure.
Terrafugia is just the first step in the journey of flying cars. In the future, such flying technology will develop and a new form of transportation combining cars and airplanes may become commonplace. For example, it takes more than five hours to drive 400 km from Seoul to Busan during the holidays, but with Terrafugia, it takes less than two hours at 222 km/h, and the actual distance traveled is even shorter because it follows a straight path like an airplane.
The Role of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Mechanical and aerospace engineering plays a central role in the development of these flying cars. During the design process of Terrafugia, the weight of the vehicle, the efficiency of the wings, and the stability during flight all had to be considered. This is a very complex task, but it has become possible thanks to the development of mechanical aviation engineering. Mechanical aviation engineering is a discipline that creatively solves engineering problems to create new machines. Like the flying car, our future means of transportation will likely come from innovative ideas in mechanical aviation engineering.
The transportation system of the future will be much more innovative than we can imagine, and mechanical aeronautics will be at the center of it. Even now, many scientists and engineers are continuing their research to develop flying cars like the Terrafugia, and the results will change the paradigm of future transportation.
