'Volitan' IDA 2007 first prize winner.

The name 'Volitan' means flying fish. This is an all-green concept from Designobis design firm, which made them win the IDA 2007 first prize. It uses solar and wind energy to get around. The upper wings are covered with solar panels and act as sails as well. The electricity produced from the solar panels is stored in the battery banks. When the wind dies, the electric motors engage.

It can operate in 60-knot winds as the four wings react to changing weather conditions by a networked computer system. It tracks the sun and the wind with its sensors. In rough weather, the lower wings act as stabilizers and contain the DC electric motors that use the energy from the batteries.

Impeccable green credentials make this design a true award winner.

Thank you very much Carl.

Here a few more renderings and sketches from the design studio.

You could obtain high-res versions at the designnobis website. They are archived in a .rar file.

The chief designer is named Hakan Gursu, a graduate of Middle Eastern University in Istanbul, Turkey with a Master's degree in Architecture. He has continued his project studies at Japan in 1991 and obtained his phD during that time. He worked as a consultant on interior architecture and city planning in Moscow and Tokyo.

The second designer is Sozum Dogan, another graduate of M.E University who is pursuing a Master's degree and working at Designnobis.