Trek Aerospace SoloTrek XFVM (concept design)

SoloTrek XFVM one person VTOL concept design military backpack helicopter aircraft

(Image credit: Trek Aerospace)

SoloTrek XFVM (concept design)
Trek Aerospace, Inc.
Folsom, California, USA
www.trekaero.com

Trek Aerospace, Inc. is a small engineering company based in Folsom, California, USA. Founded on March 18, 1996 as “Millennium Jet, Inc.”, the company changed their name to Trek Aerospace on July 3, 2002 because people thought the company was building jets. To clarify, SoloTrek was a name for certain models of Trek Aerospace's aircraft. SoloTrek was never the name of the company. The company is dedicated to understanding and improving shrouded propeller performance and efficiency. In the process, they developed their own proprietary CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) software, TASPA (Trek Aerospace Shrouded Propeller Analysis).

The company has stated all of their aircraft designs are very flexible when it comes to scalability, electric motors used, propeller types and the type of power source used. That is, all previous conventionally powered aircraft the company has created can be converted to eVTOL aircraft and can be updated with the latest in avionics, electronics, propellers and electric (all batteries or hybrid-electric) power sources. All of the company's aircraft have been designed for advanced air mobility (AAM).

The company has designed and made multiple vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft including its exoskeleton backpack "helicopters" using shrouded propellers in the airframe design. Some articles refer to the exoskeleton backpack helicopter as a jetpack, even though there are no jet engines involved in the backpack aircraft. The company has also designed and made watercraft. Trek Aerospace also assists and teams with other companies, large and small, in the design, fabrication, and licensing of projects involving shrouded propellers and/or autonomous control systems. For example, Trek Aerospace built XTI Aircraft Company's TriFan subscale proof of concept (POC) aircraft.

Trek Aerospace Shrouded Propeller Analysis
Testing at NASA and university wind tunnels has validated the accuracy of the Trek Aerospace Shrouded Propeller Analysis (TASPA). Flight testing of both crewed and uncrewed vehicles has further verified the real-world applications of Trek’s technology. The company states their core technology has the highest specific thrust (lb/kW) in the industry. Aircraft designed by Trek define the efficiency curve used in the UBER Elevate white paper.

This efficiency allows aircraft to carry more weight in a smaller footprint. According to the company, their shrouded propellers require less power, use fewer batteries, have a greater payload and have a farther range than other battery powered aircraft. Furthermore, the company states their shrouded propellers have outperformed similar free propellers to airspeeds in excess of 230 mph (371 km/h), negating much of the drag penalty associated with ducted propellers.

SoloTrek XFVM one passenger VTOL concept design backpack helicopter aircraft
The SoloTrek XFVM (Exoskeleton Flying Vehicle - Military) is a one passenger VTOL concept design backpack "helicopter" aircraft. The original design was to power the aircraft using a rotary engine with drive shafts and gear boxes to turn the variable-pitch ducted propellers.

However, the company has stated this aircraft (and all their VTOL aircraft) can be converted to all-electric (eVTOL) aircraft or a hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft. By retrofitting the aircraft with new eVTOL technologies that exist today, the aircraft would become lighter, safer, more stable, more reliable, more flight worthy, have less maintenance issues, be less complex, have redundant systems, have an extended service life and be a more eco-friendly.

SoloTrek XFVM Mission Capabilities

Search and rescue
Parachuting the aircraft to stranded military personnel to help them escape the enemy
Military reconnaissance
Urban Operations
Special Forces

The original estimated top speed of the backpack aircraft is 113 mph (180 kph) and has an expected range of 184 miles (295 km). The an empty weight of the aircraft is foreseen to be 375 lb (170 km) and the intended payload would be 358 lb (162 km). The maximum take off weight of the aircraft was predicted to be 834 lb (378 km).

The pilot's controls are two joysticks, one joystick is for direction and the other joystick to gain or lower the altitude. The aircraft is controlled by a fly-by-wire computer system that can tilt each fan individually to control pitch and yaw. Looking at the artist's concept drawings, the aircraft is outfitted with spot lights, can hold a soldier wearing military gear and can carry a military rifle. The aircraft has tricycle type landing gear with two fixed wheels on the back of the landing making it easy for personnel to move the aircraft around when on the ground.

Some of the safety features include two shoulder straps and a waist strap to secure the pilot onto the fuselage. Two foot rests are located on the aircraft's fixed strut-type landing gear. An emergency ballistic whole aircraft parachute is fitted at the top of the airframe between the two ducted fans.

The SoloTrek XFV was first flown in December 18, 2001 when the company was called Millennium Jet Inc. The SoloTrek XFVM concept design was never made into a prototype.

SoloTrek XFVM military reconnaissance mission

SoloTrek XFVM downed pilot escape mission

Specifications:

Aircraft type: One person VTOL, eVTOL or hybrid-electric VTOL concept design backpack military helicopter aircraft
Piloting: 1 pilot
Cruise speed: 113 mph (180 kp/h)
Range: 184 miles (295 km)
Flight Time: 2 hours
Empty weight: 375 lb (170 km)
Maximum payload: 358 lb (162 km)
Maximum takeoff weight: 834 lb (378 km)
Propellers: 2 ducted variable-pitch propellers
Electric Motors: 2 electric motors
Power source: Conventional, all-electric or a hybrid-electric power source
Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite
Lights: Is outfitted with 2 spot lights
Rifle holder. The aircraft has a military rifle holder
Landing gear: Fixed tricycle landing gear, a flat landing gear plate is in the front of the aircraft and two rear fixed wheels are the landing gear in the rear of the aircraft. This type of arrangement makes it easy to wheel the aircraft in a hangar, on the tarmac, or in and out of vehicles.
Safety features: Two shoulder straps and a waist strap to secure the pilot onto the fuselage. Two foot rests are located on the aircraft's fixed strut-type landing gear. An emergency ballistic whole aircraft parachute is fitted at the top of the airframe between the two ducted fans.