Forget propellers and expensive computer algorithms. The Cyclotech Blackbird takes to the skies with six spinning drums that you'd expect to find in a washing machine rather than in the sky. And yes, the thing actually flies.
At first glance, it looks like a scene from a sequel Blade Runner or as an art installation from a dieselpunk exhibition. But Cyclotech Blackbird It's not a movie prop, but a real technological experiment that could completely transform the future of flight - or at least how we perceive it.
If you think it's just another one of many eVTOL (electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) projects, you have only partially figured it out. The Blackbird does not use traditional propellers, but six Cyclorotors – drums with pitch-adjustable blades that, as they spin, create thrust vectors in any direction. The thing looks like Da Vinci's sketchpad met Voith-Schneider propellers from the marine industry – and decided the thing should fly.
But before we start dreaming about tomorrow morning's flight to work, it's important to understand: The Blackbird is still a prototype – A 340 kilogram (750 lb) unmanned flying device that serves primarily as proof that this concept really works.
What is a Cyclorotor and why is it important?
Unlike traditional rotors that generate thrust with long blades, Cyclotech's system relies on fast-spinning drums containing short blades that can be tilted in real time to generate thrust in any direction. The result? 360-degree control of movement in the air without the need for favors.
- Better stability in windy conditions
- Instant lateral movement without tilting
- Compact design, ideal for urban environments
- Low height and less noise compared to traditional solutions
The current prototype has four Cyclorotors on each corner and an additional two under the nose and tail, allowing full control over rotation, movement and height, regardless of the direction of the body.
Takeoff from the garage of the future – Cyclotech Blackbird
Although the device works as an engineering marvel, it is not without its problems. The Cyclotech Blackbird system is mechanically extremely complex – with more moving parts than the average engineer would dream of. And while the blades look less intimidating than helicopter rotors, they are still capable of a quick and painful encounter with a curious bird.
In addition, it will commercial model called CruiseUp expected to be ready soon around 2035, which is almost a geological age in the world of eVTOL. But Cyclotech isn't rushing to market with promises of flying taxis. Their real ambition? Cyclorotor Drive Licensing for a wide range of uses – from drones, to rescue vessels and perhaps even flying delivery capsules.
CruiseUp: the personal flying bubble of the future
Expected CruiseUp it will be a two-seater, with top speed 150 km/h (93 mph) and maximum range of 100 km (62 miles) – which may seem small at first glance, but it is more than enough to jump from the suburbs to the city center. Even if you have “range anxiety”, you can rest assured: this is not a plane, this is urban flying scooter.
Because Cyclorotors provide instant response and precise control, the flying experience is said to be much smoother than that of conventional quadcopters. Instead of constantly micro-adjusting pitch and roll, the Cyclotech Blackbird moves like underwater drone in the air – quiet, precise and vibration-free.
A machine that sounds like science fiction – but already flies
If anything, the Cyclotech Blackbird is a tribute to a time when flying was still experimental and engineers could still be weirdos with dreams. This thing has more in common with experimental aviation from the 50s than with the modern world of AI and apps.
And that's exactly why it's so charming. It's about mechanical radicalism, not digital. For an engineering approach from the future that uses the philosophy of the past.
An airplane we won't fly for a long time – but we will remember it
Cyclotech Blackbird There will probably never be a mass-produced flying car., which you would park in the yard. But that's not even the point. It's a demonstration of a completely new way of propulsion that could change everything - not just the eVTOL sector, but aviation as a whole.
If it will Cyclotech managed to simplify and miniaturize their system, we could see Cyclorotor propulsion on drones, ambulances, maybe even military platformsAnd if the CruiseUp ever really takes flight in mass production, it will be one of the most exotic, mechanically interesting, and visually insane means of transportation to ever exist.
The price? It's not there yet, but judging by its complexity and exclusivity, it will probably be on the level of a luxury electric car or a private helicopter.
In the end, the impression remains: If the future wants to fly – why not do it with drums?
