NC35-Tricopter "Skybug"

What is the most popular way of travelling mid-range distances in your setting?

The Tri-hover is one of the most sucessful designs for any vehicle ever manufactured on Collena. It functions as a land-based vehicle normally, hovering off of the plates inside the asphalt roads, but it's engines can also spread out and turn into a tricopter (has three rotors, sometimes three turbines instead), taking the vehicle off the roads and taking the pilot wherever they want to go. This is why they are usually called Tri-hovers, they fuction both as hover vehicles and tricopters, though are often just called tricopters. There are so many people flying in these on some days near cities they appear to look like swarms of insects from a distance, which is why they are sometimes called 'Skybugs' instead.

The NC-35-Tricopter is one such design, manufactured by the Tissa Corporation. It is designated the Near Continental 35, uses Turbines instead of rotors, and incorporates their most efficient RTG-Ion battery ever. Over ten million have been manufactured since it was introduced only five years ago. Such is its popularity that it has been shipped offworld and adapted for Sephar and Senon, two other worlds the Regalti call home.

Design Features

Like many hover vehicles of Collena, the NC35 features an FRD, a Ferrus Repulser Drive, a fancy name for a set of electromagnets that are programmed to hover a set distance off of the roadways. Roads on Collena are generally Asphalt or Concrete, with a cooled superconducting plate on the inside that runs through the entire length of the road. With the FRD, the magnets spin at a high speed, which lifts them off the ground over the superconductor. they usually hover just over half a meter off the roadways, and by manipulating the electromagnet, they can speed up, slow down, turn, and increase their altitude automatically in an emergency, like an incomng wreck or an animal that wandered on the roadway.

Like many Tricopters, the turbine engines are normally folded up and not in use when on the roads, then when in pilot mode, the turbine engines unfold and extend out in short wings, gently lifting the vehicle off of the roadway. The rear turbine is about 50% larger than the two side turbines, putting out more lifting force. Using a proprietary algorithm, Tissa Corporation has managed to make an extraordinarily stable craft.

Nickname

Skybug, Tryfly, or Triplefan
(Or just Hovercar)

Rarity

Very common

Beam

2 (6m when unfolded)

Length

5m (8m when unfolded)

Height

2.5m

Weight

800kg

Complement / Crew

2

Cargo & Passenger Capacity

2 passengers
100kg of Cargo
Max Payload 700kg

Engines
3 300hp electric Turbofans
Fuel Source
6g Polonium-210 RTG-Ion Battery
Top Speeds
Land: 140km/h
Air: 800km/h
Max. altitude
8800m
Range on each charge
3,000km

RTG-Ion Technology

Cutdrawing of an GPHS-RTG by NASA

Example of a RTG battery. Unfortunately, due to the proprietary nature of the RTG-Ion Battery, the real battery cannot be shown

The real claim to fame for the Tissa Corporation's NC35 design (as well as all of its vehicles) is its RTG-Ion Battery. RTG-Ion batteries are much like standard Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators. They convert the heat energy from nuclear fission into electricity, but these fission reactions are much more energetic and can be selectively turned on and off, otherwise they would quickly melt. Though the exact construction and contents of the radioactive material within the battery is a trade secret, using fusion reclamation technology, simply charging the battery will rebuild the spent nuclear fuel, allowing it to be reused repeatedly for up to three thousand separate charges. Due to its highly energetic nature, it can't be charged with set of solar panels, and must be connected to a high voltage electrical outlet. The Tissa Corporation has a Battery Replacement Service, and can meet anywhere on the planet, even in the middle of the ocean or on top of Sil Ventarsan to replace a spent RTG-Ion Battery with a fully charged one.

Configurations

The NC35 comes in several distinct Configurations.

STANDARD

The base model of NC35-Trihover. It features seating for four, and enough cargo space for an afternoon trip or vacation to just about anywhere. Can be upgraded with the same turbine engines as the two higher priced models.

PATHFINDER

Features seating for only two, but has a double capacity RTG-Ion battery and upgraded turbine engines, giving it up to 6000km of range, and an altitude limit of 12,000m.

HAULER

Features seating for only two, but has a larger space for hauling cargo, or spending the night in. Has upgraded turbine engines and a slightly higher capacity RTG-Ion battery, allowing one to carry up to 1200kg of equipment, with the same range as the standard model.