Daily gadget

HyFish, The Tuna-Shaped Aircraft

Koni Scafroth's goal is to produce a two-seater passenger plane capable of speeds up to 900 Km/h

By Robert Ursache, Gadgets Editor

12th of April 2007, 14:34 GMT

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Are you in pursuit of the big one? Well, here it is. It looks like a fish, but it's not swimming. It's actually flying! Of

course fish can fly! HyFish is a cell-powered UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) that's shaped after the ocean's fastest swimmers: the Tuna (ahem).

Due to its shape, the Tuna is probably the fastest fish that swims in Earth's oceans (excluding the Sailfish). This is why, Koni Scafroth thought that a tuna-like shape might be the answer to improving the aircraft's flying speed as well as its air maneuverability.

Koni Scafroth's invention comes after a number of collaborating companies (Extra, Leichtwerk, LTB Borowski, Liebherr Aerospace, DLB and RUAG Aerospace) introduced the battery-powered Smartfish prototype, a UAV that can be remote controlled and can fly autonomously based on pre-programmed flight plans. With battery-powered Smartfish prototypes performing impressively in testing as early as 2002, Schafroth and Team Smartfish joined forces with Ulrich Scheifer, a former aerodynamics expert on BMW's Formula One Team.

Trying to refine Tuna-like fiberglass models, Schafroth spent significant time in wind-tunnel testing with experts at Lausanne's EPFL Technical University. And surprise, surprise! The team of Swiss researchers found the models potentially faster and more efficient than conventionally-shaped aircrafts that were comparable in size and propulsion system.

HyFish's inventor already fixed his goal. He wants to produce a two-seater passenger plane capable of speed up to 900 Km/h, with fuel consumption to rival a VW Golf (10 litres/100km). One thing is certain though: you won't be flying to work anytime soon.
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UAV | HyFish | Aircraft | Flying | Smartfish

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