Adventure & Wildlife Magazine - Vol 1|Issue 5-6| Nov 16 - Jan 17 Vol 2 | Issue 1 | Mar - May 2017 | Page 14

ADVENTURE & WILDLIFE
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JAPANESE
COMPANY
with plenty of experience
making small, remote-controlled
electric helicopters is building a
human-sized version.
Hirobo unveiled its single-seat
electric helicopter at a technology
expo in Japan and hopes to make its
first flight for next year.
Single-seat helicopters have long
fascinated aviation buffs who
dream of a futuristic Jetsons-like
personal transportation, and such a
machine would be useful in
military, search-and-rescue, and
law- enforcement applications. Yes,
unmanned aerial vehicles have in
recent years filled a niche many
thought single-seat helos would
occupy, but the dream of a personal
flying machine remains. We’ve seen
a few ideas in recent years, including
a contraption powered by hydro-
gen peroxide rockets. And of course
there’s always yet another jetpa—
umm … ducted fanpack.
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Hirobo
builds
small
R/C
helicopters, including the bat-
tery-powered toys you see at the mall.
The full-size HX-1 is essentially
the same thing, only bigger. It uses
a similar co-axial main rotor to
eliminate the need for a tail rotor,
and the company says it is expected
to fly for as long as 30 minutes at
60 mph. The pilot uses fly-by-wire
controls, or the machine can be
flown remotely to aid in emergency
evacuations or search-and-rescue
operations.
The idea is this full size R/C
helicopter could be flown to
the person in need, who would
then be airlifted to safety.
And, of course, the HX-1 could,
in the company’s words, serve a
“pleasure purpose for rich people.”
That goes without saying, given
the price is said to be $375,000.
The HX-1 has not yet flown,
but Flight Global says “limited”
hover tests have been made and
flight tests are expected next year.
Vol 2|Issue 1|Mar - May 2017