01. Project Info
Your paramedic will arrive by air
In The Netherlands, 385.000 people can not be reached within 15 minutes by ambulance. During rush hour, this is almost 500.000 people. To overcome this problem, ultra-light and ultra-small helicopters could be deployed.
The main goal of this project was to come up with a design for a one-person helicopter, using the co-axial drivetrain that was being developed at the same time and taking into account aspects like weight distribution.
This concept design was visualized to later be used in the search for financial investments that were needed to build a functional prototype.
02. The Process
Your paramedic will arrive by air
In the span of just over 1.5 years, TALARIA went from being a sketch on a piece of paper to a full-scale helicopter prototype capable of flying. The activities undertaken during this timespan will be briefly explained in this section.
Whereas it all started as a concept, created together with another designer, eventually I became the Project Manager of a team of 25 Engineering students of the TU Delft, with the goal of building and flying our Urban Air Vehicle.
Concept Design
Starting with defining the core values. After that, turning an idea to a 3D concept whilst radiating the core values of TALARIA.
Publicity & Funding
Now that the concept is ready, it's time to get the word out about TALARIA and start looking for potential investors and/or partner companies.
Proof of Concept
Making prototypes to verify the claims we've made about our design. Starting with some test set-ups and ending with a flying one-person helicopter.
As TALARIA’s inaugural product, the design language and CMF (Colour, Material, Finish) selections for the TALARIA 1 would play a huge part in defining the TALARIA brand. The project started with three distinctive concept directions, eventually choosing the one that demonstrated the TALARIA’s core values most: reliable and smart.
While designing the concept, factors like anthropometrics, (aviation) regulations regarding appearance and modularity among others were taken into account. This makes the helicopter not just some concept, but rather one that can be build and used.
The TALARIA 1
Concept Design
Starting with defining the core values. After that, turning an idea to a 3D concept whilst radiating the core values of TALARIA.
Publicity & Funding
Now that the concept is ready, it's time to get the word out about TALARIA and start looking for potential investors and/or partner companies.
Proof of Concept
Making prototypes to verify the claims we've made about our design. Starting with some test set-ups and ending with a flying one-person helicopter.
With a concept design at hand, a large round of fundraising started. After actively reaching out to interesting companies and organisations, several agreements were signed and over time an increasing amount of companies were added as official partners.
Companies/institutions that became a partner
€ raised in sponsorship deals
An important way of getting the TALARIA brand out there was by attending aviation related events. The increasing interest in Urban Air Mobility due to it being a trend / hype gave us the opportunity to showcase one of our (earlier) showmodels at high profile events, such as the 100th anniversary of KLM, Fokker and the Dutch Aviation and Aerospace Centre and the Amsterdam Drone Week.
At these events, we let people experience how it is to be able to fly around Rotterdam in their Personal Flying Device, by means of a Virtual Reality Experience.
Especially on these events, the amount of media attention was quite big, also because of the fact that we would always bring some type of prototype. This lead to multiple interviews with newsoutlets such as NU.nl, AD and Het Parool, but also did it lead to live interviews on Dutch national television and radio. At these occasions I could share TALARIA’s vision and explain the potention it has.
Concept Design
Starting with defining the core values. After that, turning an idea to a 3D concept whilst radiating the core values of TALARIA.
Publicity & Funding
Now that the concept is ready, it's time to get the word out about TALARIA and start looking for potential investors and/or partner companies.
Proof of Concept
Making prototypes to verify the claims we've made about our design. Starting with some test set-ups and ending with a flying one-person helicopter.
After collecting sufficient funds, both an office and workspace were rented and materials were ordered to start fabricating the design. Feedback sessions with professionals and/or professors were organized to get feedback on the design.
Separate sub-systems were assembled and placed on our test rig. Here we could measure the amount of lift generated and thus test and validate the designs. At first this was tested with just one single axis, while later also the second, counterrotating axis, was added to the system.
After completing the tests on the test rig, it was time for the real work: the first tethered test flight. Here the device would be connected with several wires to make sure that the device could take off, whilst minimizing the risk of crashing or tipping over.
03. The Result
Your paramedic will arrive by air
After almost 2 years since the first sketch had been drawn onto paper, the TALARIA 1 took off for the first time. Several flight tests were performed with help of experienced (former) KLM pilots. Unfortunately, during one of the tests, a bug in the software made the device crash into a wall, causing a lot of material damage to the helicopter. Due to the fact that financial resources were limited and team members wanting to go back to studying, it was decided to put a halt to this beautiful project.
Maximum speed (km/h)
% Electric
Low Noise (dBa)
Range (km)
Payload (kg)
Maximum dimension (m)
TALARIA 1
In The Netherlands, 385.000 people can not be reached within 15 minutes by ambulance. During rush hour, it’s almost 500.000 people. To overcome this problem, ultra-light and ultra-small helicopters could be deployed.
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Date
February 3, 2020
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Skills
Conceptualization, Rendering, Design Thinking
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Client
TALARIA
