Students from the Samara University named after Korolev have developed and built a test model of a WIG craft designed for 10 passengers. The aim of the project is to test the aerodynamic characteristics of a device capable of moving over a water surface. The WIG craft uses the ground effect, flying at a height of up to several meters due to interaction with the air flow reflected from the surface of water, land, ice or snow.
For testing, an unmanned model of the WIG craft was created, which is five times smaller than its full-scale counterpart. The length of the fuselage and the wingspan of this model reach 3.5 meters. The device is equipped with three electric motors, allowing it to reach speeds of up to 90 kilometers per hour. The model was developed within the walls of the scientific and technological center of composite materials of the Advanced Engineering Aerospace School of Samara University named after Korolev, and students were also involved in the work. The model is expected to be tested on one of the water bodies located within the city of Samara.
The WIG craft, classified by the International Maritime Organization and the International Civil Aviation Organization as a flying vessel, has the unique ability to take off from and land on water surfaces of rivers and lakes. The developers see this as a potential solution to the problem of transport isolation of small settlements located along river arteries.