Engineering researchers to develop ground effect vehicle

CPUT researchers are set to develop a ground effect vehicle, which will be able to fly long distances just a few feet above water.

Ground effect vehicles are intended to replace hovercrafts and ferries, in areas where these conventional types of transport are currently in use.

Ground effect vehicles offer a safer alternative to conventional aircraft. They have the ability to carry huge loads and will also drastically cut down on fuel cost.

Prof Bohua Sun from the Centre for Research in Applied Technology (CERATech) and Walter Kohlhofer, senior lecturer in the Mechanical Engineering Department, are currently driving this area of research and development at CPUT.

The researchers gave a brief overview of their activities on 7 April 2008, at the launch of the Guardian Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, which was developed by their colleagues.

Kohlhofer said they have started working on developing a ground effect vehicle and are currently in the process of developing a “new type of wing.” These types of vehicles must have a small wing span in order to ensure that they fly in close proximity to the surface.

Kohlhofer said they are also developing mechanisms to test the strength of wings.

“We are looking at developing an eight to ten seater craft,” he said.

Currently the development of ground effect vehicles is being looked at by researchers in several other countries.

Research groups are located at various institutions in Germany, Russia, the United States, Australia and China.

Already a number of prototype crafts have been developed for military and public use. However, the crafts are not widely in use.

Kohlhofer said in 2008, they visited China in order to see what researchers in this area are currently working on.

They also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Tongji University in China, which will allow for collaboration between the different research groups.

Researchers at Tongji University recently developed a “Wing-In-Ground"" (WIG) aircraft, which can fly as low as half a meter off the surface, hitting speeds of up to 300 km per hour. It can carry up to 4 tonnes on takeoff.

Kohlhofer said they are not restricting their research to the development of the eight to ten seater ground effect vehicles, but are also working on the “Skimmer Project.” This project will see them develop a craft, similar to a jet-ski. However, unlike a jet-ski that is in water while it moves, this craft will hover above the surface.

“This will be a one manned vehicle,” said Kohlhofer.

By Candes Keating

Photo: Prof Bohua Sun from the Centre for Research in Applied Technology and Walter Kohlhofer from the Mechanical Engineering Department

Written by CPUT News
Email: news@cput.ac.za