MOBILITY OF THE THIRD DIMENSION
MOBILITY OF THE THIRD DIMENSION
What will mobility look like in the future? How will we get from A to B quickly, conveniently and easily in the world of tomorrow? There are already many answers and concept proposals for urban areas. But what about people in rural areas? What about people with physical disabilities who are sitting in a wheelchair?
These are precisely the questions addressed in this master thesis.
The world is moving faster and faster and people want to get to their destination as directly as possible. Obstacles such as traffic jams, driving around rivers or mountains or the time elapsed when changing from one means of transportation to the next can often turn otherwise short distances into a long journey.
This master thesis shows a possible proposal based on an alternative mobility concept for how people could travel in the future and reach their desired destination directly.
From door to door, without traffic jams, without changing trains, without detours. With MISSION.AIR.
THE IDEA
MISSION.AIR is the answer to an accessible and safe vehicle for the future. It is a traffic-jam-free alternative mobility experience towards future autonomous vehicles.
MISSION.AIR is a networked and electrically operated, autonomous vertical take-off and landing aerial vehicle (eVTOL AAV*) for the rural areas from 2040. It can both drive and fly.
With a split capsule and a drive module, users (incl. wheelchair users) are able to reach their destination quickly and directly, regardless of the infrastructure.
Users can book the ride via a smartphone application and order the Drive & Air-Taxi to their homes or at fixed stations directly near the village or the suburb.
MISSION.AIR is a meaningful and flexible time independent supplement to the public transport.
*eVTOL AAV = electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing Autonomous Aircraft Vehicle
THE CONCEPT
An accessible passenger drone
2 passengers
accessible
electric
VTOL
vertical take-off and landing
drive'n'fly
MISSION.AIR is an autonomous accessible passenger drone that enables direct door-to-door mobility in rural areas. It offers space for up to two people (including a wheelchair user) and is equipped with an extendable ramp so that people with physical disabilities, older people or people with baby carriages can get on and off easily.
MISSION.AIR consists of a flying capsule and a drive module. An app is used to call MISSION.AIR, which then drives autonomously to the user and then takes them to a nearby starting area.
Once there, large electric propellers on the capsule unfold. The capsule decouples from the drive module and lifts off gently with increasing speed.
While the drive module left behind moves autonomously to a recharging point directly at the take-off and landing area, the capsule flies towards the desired destination. There it lands on another waiting drive module and then drives to the destination address on a normal road. During the journey, the capsule is recharged by the drive module for the next flight.
The innovative combination of emission-free ground and air transportation offers a comfortable and environmentally friendly mobility service without the need to change vehicles.
First mile - rural area
DRIVE.MODE
Decoupling - unfolding the rotors
STARTING
Bridging short to medium-long distances
FLY.MODE
Coupling - folding in the rotors
LANDING
Last mile - suburban area
DRIVE.MODE
THE APP
The booking system
Login
Home screen
Enter route
Check & pay
Ticket
(Check-In/Out)
Outer capsule (Exterior)
Inner capsule (Interior)
Drivetrain
Battery area
Center of mass
THE INTERIOR
The design of the interior is open and bright. It offers space for up to two passengers, one of whom can be a wheelchair user. The wheelchair user remains seated in their wheelchair in the front area. Thanks to the large smart glass windows, users can look outside and can darken individual window areas or make them opaque using a touch command if necessary. Augmented reality can be used to display live information about the surroundings. Than ks to the smart glass it is not possible to see inside the capsule from the outside. Various information can be called up via touch displays in the middle of the capsule and touch inputs (or voice commands) can be used to adjust the lighting, music and volume, start films or operate the menu with internet access. Below the displays, there is an inductive charging surface for mobile devices on both sides. The combination of light-colored fabric on the walls and wood-look surfaces is intended to create a homely ambience. Smaller dark surfaces and an accent color round off the design.
FLY MODE
Resting on the drive module the rotor arms of the capsule are extended by hydraulic springs. The rotors start up and the capsule lifts off the drive module. The rotors rotate in opposite directions (coaxial rotors). Due to their smaller size, the tail rotors rotate at a higher speed than the main side rotors. For landing, either extendable supports are deployed under the capsule or the capsule moves slowly over an available drive module. Then sensors under the capsule determine the optimum landing position and it slowely lands directly on the drive module.
THE DRIVE MODUL
The drive module is the mobile base of MISSION.AIR and its mobile battery. The drive module can be charged either inductively at the take-off and landing zones or directly via a plug. Sensors allow it to move completely autonomously. The capsule is fixed to the drive module by means of retaining recesses in the drive module and thus offers a secure and firm seat on the drive module during the journey. It is powered by an innovative four-engine system with integrated all-wheel steering to ensure the tightest possible turning circle with a small turning angle of the wheels.
FORMAL REQUIREMENTS
Exterior and interior
Interior:
Exterieur:
Plain surfaces
Visible technology
Product design
Material aesthetics
Line routing
Light accents
Propeller, charging contacts
Edges & chamfers
Clear material seperation
Directional
Cozy
Homely atmosphere
Minimalistic
Smart
Functional
Intuitive
Modern
Smart glass / voice control
Holding options
Storage options
ANIMATION
„Mark my words. A combination of airplane and motorcar is coming. You may smile. But it will come.“
- Henry Ford, 1940
FINAL DESIGN
The free form of the capsule is simple and calm in order to create a harmony between dark, detailed, technical elements and simple large surfaces. A visible separation between the capsule and drive module components was achieved by choosing different colors and materials. The closed rotor arms and the front are integrated into the capsule to create an ergonomic closed shape. The shape of the capsule is broken up by a technical narrow line that connects the front and rear headlights. A visible separation of the drive module at the lateral support point of the rotor arms is also emphasized by different materiality and follows the joint pattern of the capsule. The shape of the drive module's wheel arches follows the direction of the capsule's chamfer line. This creates perfect harmony and unity between the capsule and the drive module. Particular emphasis was placed on the fact that the design of MISSION.AIR works both in flight (without a mobile base) and while driving.
MOBILITY OF THE THIRD DIMENSION
What will mobility look like in the future? How will we get from A to B quickly, conveniently and easily in the world of tomorrow? There are already many answers and concept proposals for urban areas. But what about people in rural areas? What about people with physical disabilities who are in a wheelchair?
These are precisely the questions addressed in this master's thesis.
The world is moving faster and faster and people want to get to their destination as directly as possible. Obstacles such as traffic jams, driving around rivers or mountains or the time elapsed when changing from one means of transportation to the next can often turn otherwise short distances into a long journey.
This master's thesis shows a possible proposal based on an alternative mobility concept for how people could travel in the future and reach their desired destination directly.
From door to door, without traffic jams, without changing trains, without detours. With MISSION.AIR.
In cooperation with:
