TU523 (concept design)
Reinhardt Works
United Kingdom
www.iamthor.net https://www.iamthor.net/
Thor Reinhardt founded Reinhardt Works in 2012 in the United Kingdom. Reinhardt’s vision is to create heavy-lift hybrid-electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) intermodal container cargo aircraft for advanced air mobility (AAM) to help developing nations move critical cargo within their countries that have little road infrastructure in place. Reinhard’s other accolades include giving numerous innovation and technology-based speeches to Fortune 500 executives and government leaders around the world.
TU523 heavy-lift hybrid-electric VTOL intermodal container concept design cargo aircraft
The TU523 is heavy-lift hybrid-electric VTOL intermodal container concept design cargo aircraft. The aircraft will be flown remotely and eventually be flown autonomously. The inventor estimates his aircraft can deliver intermodal containers faster than a conventional truck and at a greatly reduced cost. Reinhardt envisions his aircraft being used first in developing countries that doesn’t have good road infrastructure.
The aircraft has 16 electric ducted fans (EDFs) and four EDFs make a cluster of ducted fans. There are 16 electric motors powering each electric ducted fan. Two clusters of EDFs are located in the rear of the aircraft and two fan clusters are located in the front of the aircraft. Each cluster is gimballed and each fan cluster can tilt in all directions providing the aircraft with precision flying in all directions without the need for flaps, rudders or elevators. The aircraft has bi-plane wings that will extend the range of the aircraft.
To pick up an intermodal container, the aircraft flies over the container, clamps down on the container’s four top corner lashing device posts and flies off with its intermodal container cargo load. Even though not specified, the aircraft looks like its maximum container is a 40 ft standard intermodal container. When the aircraft has no cargo container, the aircraft lands on its fixed skid landing gear.
Intermodal containers are very important because they are standardized worldwide and can be transported on ships, trucks and by railroad.
Specifications:
- Aircraft type: Heavy-lift hybrid-electric VTOL intermodal cargo concept design aircraft
- Piloting: Remote or autonomous
- Capacity: Cargo only. Carries an intermodal container.
- Cruise speed: Unknown
- Range: Unknown
- Maximum payload weight: Unknown
- Propellers: 16 electric ducted fans (EDFs)
- Electric motors: 16 electric motors
- Power source: Hybrid-electric power source
- Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite
- Windows: Panoramic wrap around windows allowing forward, left and right visibility for spectacular views with a solid roof above the passenger compartment
- Window: Canopy over cockpit
- Wings: Bi-plane wings
- Landing gear: Fixed skid landing gear
- Safety features: Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP), provides safety through redundancy for its passengers and/or cargo. DEP means having multiple propellers (or ducted fans) and motors on the aircraft so if one or more propellers (ducted fans) or motors fail, the other working propellers (or ducted fans) and motors can safely land the aircraft. There are also redundancies of critical components in the sub-systems of the aircraft.
Resources:
- Reinhardt Works website
- Reinhardt Works Twitter
- Reinhardt Works YouTube Channel
- Reinhardt Works LinkedIn
- Reinhardt Works TikTok
- Article: Reinhardt Technology Research Preps VTOL Aircraft for 17-Country Journey, EME Outlook, Apr. 9, 2015
- Video: This is Us – Reinhardt Works, Reinhardt Works, Aug. 14, 2018
- Article: The ‘TU523’ Hybrid Electric VTOL Aircraft Cuts Operation Costs, Trend Hunter, Feb. 4, 2019
- Video: This is the TU523, Reinhardt Works, July 20, 2023
- Article: Futuristic TU523 Hybrid Electric VTOL Aircraft Concept for Goods Transportation, Tuvie, date unknown
