Fancloth

BY LETTER

Fancloth

Technology > Application > Transportation > Atmospheric Transport
Technology > Application > Materials Technology
Technology > Application > Power Generation

Material which uses microscale engineering to allow flight.
Image from Steve Bowers
A Paracopter lifting a human aeronaut

Fancloth A lightweight, smart fabric mesh with powered microfans installed within approx. 1.5 mm mesh openings, used to provide lift in moderate gravity environments.

Fancloth can be used as sails or wings capable of carrying small vehicles or individuals; one common configuration is the Paracopter (see this page).

Image from Steve Bowers
Fancloth uses microscale motors and miniature fans to provide lift

Fancloth mesh size is affected by several factors; molecular motors can be made which are much smaller, but very small fans would be choked by atmospheric dust. Similarly, fancloth with mesh larger than 1.5mm create turbulent airflow and lose efficiency. Also important in fancloth use and design is the smart control system that allows the fancloth array to control each fan individually, ensuring smooth flight.

Fancloth can also be used in reverse to generate power as a form of wind turbine.

Image from Mysfytt
An Omnicraft in flight mode, using an array of fancloth wings

This material was first suggested by Information Age imagineer J. Storrs Hall, who also formed the original concept of Utility Fog.

Appears in Topics

Atmospheric Transport

Materials Technology

Power Generation

Development Notes

Text by Terrafamilia
Initially published on 09 November 2005.

Return to Top

Material which uses microscale engineering to allow flight.