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Future Copter

 Future Copter
type
FeatureClass
 Future Copter
label
Future Copter
 Future Copter
page
FutureCopter
 Future Copter
comment
You're in an unspecified future, and you need an aircraft capable of short or vertical takeoffs. Helicopters are so 20th century: they can't do all that fancy supercruising and barrel rolls that jets can do and they (probably) can't survive being dropped from orbit because well, hey, you might just need to be dropped from orbit. So you don't want a helicopter, but you also don't want anything as conventional looking as a VTOL airplane, either.
What you need is a futurecopter. These machines come in a variety of sizes, ranging from dinky sized models about the size of an RC toy, a one-man unit (with optional handholds on the sides for external passengers), through unmanned autonomous versions (best steer well clear of these) the size of a Hummer, right up to beasts the size of a civil cruiser capable of transporting dozens of fully armed troops complete with an airlifted Awesome Personnel Carrier or a Cool Tank. Size and operation aside, what they almost invariably have is ducted fans or tilting jet engines (either one or two pairs, one on each side of the fuselage, and usually independently tiltable) for lift and thrust and stubby, vestigial wings with an assortment of guns, missiles and bombs, if there were any wings at all. And, in compliance to the all-powerful Rule of Cool, you can expect the aircraft to be as fast as a jet, as agile as a helicopter and as armed as a fighter-bomber. The pilot, if present, is invariably right up front in what looks like a conventional helicopter gunship cockpit.
These aircraft aren't always a major element of the stories they appear in—they're just as likely to be background details, put in to add a "futuristic" atmosphere. Just as airships are often used as a shorthand for alternate-history settings, ducted fan aircraft often serve as a visual cue for a setting that's futuristic, but not entirely far removed from our own. As the stereotypical "futuristic aircraft" of today, it could also be considered the successor trope to the Flying Car—and indeed, many fictional Futurecopters are used more or less like airborne cars.
The probable Trope Maker, the Bell X-22, was a purely experimental aircraft not intended for mass production. More are being developed, however, with many of them approaching production status, which could potentially make this Truth in Television in the near future. One might also, with some imagination, consider existing tilt-rotor aircraft like the V-22 Osprey to be a very primitive version of this idea, although its rotors/propellers are firmly locked together and very much not ducted, and it has big, conventional wings. Some of the contenders for the US Army's Future Vertical Lift program have taken tentative steps toward the idea.
For the portable version, see Helicopter Pack.

Examples
 Future Copter
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 Future Copter
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 Future Copter
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 Future Copter
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 Future Copter
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 Future Copter
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 Future Copter
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BigBadBeetleborgs
 Future Copter
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RedAlert3
 Future Copter
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Future Copter / int_135f4195
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_135f4195
comment
The Ornithopters from Dune are something between a Trope Maker and Ur-Example. While, like with most of Dune there is a lot ambiguity of what exactly they look like, the thopters, are, well, ornithopters. That is to say that they move by flapping their wings, like an insect or bird depending on your interpretation. So while they popularized the idea of future people moving around in a non helicopter VTOL, few other works went with that specific route.
 Future Copter / int_135f4195
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1.0
 Future Copter / int_135f4195
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1.0
 Dune
hasFeature
Future Copter / int_135f4195
 Future Copter / int_2365cd7a
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_2365cd7a
comment
Plan 7 of 9 from Outer Space. Captain Proton requisitions a jet-assisted helicopter that can lock its rotor blades to fly at supersonic speed in order to chase after a Flying Saucer.
 Future Copter / int_2365cd7a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Future Copter / int_2365cd7a
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1.0
 Plan 7 of 9 from Outer Space (Fanfic)
hasFeature
Future Copter / int_2365cd7a
 Future Copter / int_268f6fd1
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_268f6fd1
comment
Although he didn't turn into one in the movie (rather, he turned into anything he wanted to), Laserbeak from Transformers: Dark of the Moon turned into one of these in the toyline.
 Future Copter / int_268f6fd1
featureApplicability
1.0
 Future Copter / int_268f6fd1
featureConfidence
1.0
 Transformers: Dark of the Moon
hasFeature
Future Copter / int_268f6fd1
 Future Copter / int_304d4028
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_304d4028
comment
The Zorglumobile from Spirou & Fantasio looks like a flying saucer (especially in profile), but is actually a quad ducted-fan machine.
 Future Copter / int_304d4028
featureApplicability
1.0
 Future Copter / int_304d4028
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1.0
 Spirou & Fantasio (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Future Copter / int_304d4028
 Future Copter / int_33dd1d90
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_33dd1d90
comment
Combine gunships from Half-Life 2 have a single ducted fan.
 Future Copter / int_33dd1d90
featureApplicability
1.0
 Future Copter / int_33dd1d90
featureConfidence
1.0
 Half-Life 2 (Video Game)
hasFeature
Future Copter / int_33dd1d90
 Future Copter / int_35f1d3fb
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_35f1d3fb
comment
G.I. Joe featured small, one-person VTOL craft as early as 1984, with the Joes' Skyhawk and Cobra Flight Pod, even as most of the vehicles at the time were at least strongly influenced by real-life versions. The Skyhawk itself looks like a sawed-off helicopter cockpit strapped to some turbines and landing skids. As the toyline began using more experimental or futuristic designs, we got vehicles such as the G.I. Joe Skystorm (a jet helicopter whose X-rotors can convert to a fixed-wing mode) and Iron Grenadiers A.G.P. ("anti-gravity pod", though operating on the same principles as the Skyhawk). Note that the H.A.V.O.C.'s recon sled and Battleforce 2000's Vindicator also use ducted fans to generate lift, but both are designated as hovercraft, even if the Vindicator has a helicopter-style tailfin.
 Future Copter / int_35f1d3fb
featureApplicability
1.0
 Future Copter / int_35f1d3fb
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1.0
 G.I. Joe (Franchise)
hasFeature
Future Copter / int_35f1d3fb
 Future Copter / int_3ac36a5c
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_3ac36a5c
comment
Thrust in Transformers: Generation 1 transforms into a ducted fan VTOL jet.
 Future Copter / int_3ac36a5c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Future Copter / int_3ac36a5c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Transformers: Generation 1 (Franchise)
hasFeature
Future Copter / int_3ac36a5c
 Future Copter / int_3bfe75fa
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_3bfe75fa
comment
Halo Wars introduces the Sparrowhawk, which is armed with two autocannons and a Spartan Laser, and the Vulture, a heavy gunship suspended by ducted fans that's armed with four autocannons and an insane amount of missiles. Halo Wars 2 introduces the Condor Gunship, an improvised variant of the Condor transport equipped with a mini-Magnetic Accelerator Cannon and multiple pulse laser turrets.
 Future Copter / int_3bfe75fa
featureApplicability
1.0
 Future Copter / int_3bfe75fa
featureConfidence
1.0
 Halo Wars (Video Game)
hasFeature
Future Copter / int_3bfe75fa
 Future Copter / int_3cf15492
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_3cf15492
comment
MechWarrior: Living Legends has two gunship VTOLS, the Hawkmoth◊ and Donar,◊ whose jet engines take the place of the rotor blades in their canon art. Additionally, two Dummied Out transport VTOLs were planned, the Karnov and Anhur, both of which are massive tiltrotor craft that were originally planned to carry battlearmor and small vehicles — problems with the vehicles bouncing around in the back, crushing all the other riders then exploding the craft, along with an aircraft physics change caused both to be put on the development backburner.
 Future Copter / int_3cf15492
featureApplicability
1.0
 Future Copter / int_3cf15492
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1.0
 MechWarrior (Video Game)
hasFeature
Future Copter / int_3cf15492
 Future Copter / int_3d24ebc
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_3d24ebc
comment
Oblivion (2013): The V/TOL craft that Jack flies around, the "Bubble Ship", with guns (which can fire in any direction, even straight backwards), autopilot (and remote piloting), ejecting cockpit, voice-recognition lock, remotely accessible surveillance cameras, storage space for a Cool Bike, and the capacity to fly up to space.
 Future Copter / int_3d24ebc
featureApplicability
1.0
 Future Copter / int_3d24ebc
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1.0
 Oblivion (2013)
hasFeature
Future Copter / int_3d24ebc
 Future Copter / int_3e374b30
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_3e374b30
comment
In The Dark Knight Rises, the Batman is equipped with a Futurecopter known as... The Bat. It's available in black.
 Future Copter / int_3e374b30
featureApplicability
1.0
 Future Copter / int_3e374b30
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1.0
 The Dark Knight Rises
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Future Copter / int_3e374b30
 Future Copter / int_41963414
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_41963414
comment
Several different versions (from supersonic gunships to massive transports) are seen in The War Against the Chtorr series, often piloted by the protagonist's love interest, Colonel Badass 'Lizard' Tirelli.
 Future Copter / int_41963414
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1.0
 Future Copter / int_41963414
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1.0
 The War Against the Chtorr
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Future Copter / int_41963414
 Future Copter / int_41d5af1a
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_41d5af1a
comment
The federal police copters in Total Recall (2012).
 Future Copter / int_41d5af1a
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1.0
 Future Copter / int_41d5af1a
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1.0
 Total Recall (2012)
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Future Copter / int_41d5af1a
 Future Copter / int_438b63e4
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_438b63e4
comment
In Halo: Reach, the Hornet is replaced by the Falcon, extremely similar to the V-22 Osprey but smaller, with LMGs on the open sides and jet engines.
 Future Copter / int_438b63e4
featureApplicability
1.0
 Future Copter / int_438b63e4
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1.0
 Halo: Reach (Video Game)
hasFeature
Future Copter / int_438b63e4
 Future Copter / int_44fe781e
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_44fe781e
comment
The JSSDF VTOLs from Neon Genesis Evangelion have tilting jet engines.
 Future Copter / int_44fe781e
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1.0
 Future Copter / int_44fe781e
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1.0
 Neon Genesis Evangelion
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Future Copter / int_44fe781e
 Future Copter / int_4ce5263e
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_4ce5263e
comment
The modern remake, XCOM: Enemy Unknown also has the Skyranger, which is toned down slightly. It can still get anywhere in the world in absolutely record time, but it only holds a maximum of 6 soldiers, and it never gets replaced. It uses the call sign Big Sky.
 Future Copter / int_4ce5263e
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1.0
 Future Copter / int_4ce5263e
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1.0
 XCOM: Enemy Unknown (Video Game)
hasFeature
Future Copter / int_4ce5263e
 Future Copter / int_4df07110
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_4df07110
comment
In Just Imagine, everyone has a personal airplane with vertical rotor ducts in the wings enabling them to hover while they talk to other drivers or burst into song. Interestingly, it predates the Trope Codifier (or indeed, most other examples of the trope) by a good three decades.
 Future Copter / int_4df07110
featureApplicability
1.0
 Future Copter / int_4df07110
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1.0
 Just Imagine
hasFeature
Future Copter / int_4df07110
 Future Copter / int_5030d3bb
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_5030d3bb
comment
A.I.: Artificial Intelligence: The amphibicopter, notable not only for If It Swims, It Flies but for lacking rotors while still serving as a helicopter.
 Future Copter / int_5030d3bb
featureApplicability
1.0
 Future Copter / int_5030d3bb
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 A.I.: Artificial Intelligence
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Future Copter / int_5030d3bb
 Future Copter / int_5361336c
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_5361336c
comment
The ornithopters in Frank Herbert's Dune and its sequel appear to be this. While their wings may move up and down a little to adjust pitch, they don't flap like the 'thopters in the book and are more bug-like than bird-like in appearance. The miniseries' carryalls are of the "Future Copter" variety as well, complete with prominent ducted fans mounted on four extrusions from the hull of the craft.
 Future Copter / int_5361336c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Future Copter / int_5361336c
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1.0
 Frank Herbert's Dune
hasFeature
Future Copter / int_5361336c
 Future Copter / int_567ff89
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_567ff89
comment
Adam Gibson from The 6th Day is a future helicopter pilot. Naturally, the copters he flies are Futurecopters, with the ability to switch to a high-speed jet mode and be flown remotely using a Power Glove-like arrangement. They must be some kind of Awesome, but Impractical (or at least Cool, but Inefficient) novelty design in-universe however, because the much wealthier Big Bad's helicopter is a much more pedestrian design that wouldn't stand out much in the present day.
 Future Copter / int_567ff89
featureApplicability
1.0
 Future Copter / int_567ff89
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1.0
 The 6th Day
hasFeature
Future Copter / int_567ff89
 Future Copter / int_5bb3aaab
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_5bb3aaab
comment
Innocence throws in a bird theme by featuring a tiltrotor whose wings extend outward upon takeoff, and the wings themselves are made up of numerous individual lift flaps. One scene shows the raven-like tiltrotor landing on top of a rooftop, and the individual flaps of the wings look like feathers.
 Future Copter / int_5bb3aaab
featureApplicability
1.0
 Future Copter / int_5bb3aaab
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1.0
 Ghost in the Shell (1995)
hasFeature
Future Copter / int_5bb3aaab
 Future Copter / int_5c07d6ab
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_5c07d6ab
comment
Saints Row: The Third: S.T.A.G.'s F-69 Vertical Take-Off and Landing jet has the ability to shift between a jet form and a hovering form, by using hyper-force turbines within its wings. The boss explicitly calls it "a helicopter that doesn't suck".
 Future Copter / int_5c07d6ab
featureApplicability
1.0
 Future Copter / int_5c07d6ab
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1.0
 Saints Row: The Third (Video Game)
hasFeature
Future Copter / int_5c07d6ab
 Future Copter / int_6196490
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_6196490
comment
Ghost in the Shell has Tiltrotors, a dual-engine plane whose wings rotate upward 90 degrees in order to take off in standard VTOL style.
In Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, these are the standard method of transportation in service for Section Nine, as well as the requisite black choppers. Some civilian airports use them as well, though standard jet-engine airliners exist too.
They have standard single-rotor helicopters as well. Section 9 has to steal one from the Japan Ground Self Defense Force in order to resolve a conflict in the 2nd season. the JSDF also employs Jigabachi-class attack helicopters, which are designed after hornets. When getting ready to attack, the helicopter rears back and aims the minigun on its abdomen towards its target. The wasp-fashioned attack helicopters make for an interesting animal motif, considering that the tanks in this setting are all of the Spider Tank variety, fitting in with one standard mission of attack choppers: tank busting.
Innocence throws in a bird theme by featuring a tiltrotor whose wings extend outward upon takeoff, and the wings themselves are made up of numerous individual lift flaps. One scene shows the raven-like tiltrotor landing on top of a rooftop, and the individual flaps of the wings look like feathers.
 Future Copter / int_6196490
featureApplicability
1.0
 Future Copter / int_6196490
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1.0
 Ghost in the Shell (Franchise)
hasFeature
Future Copter / int_6196490
 Future Copter / int_622da7da
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_622da7da
comment
Albatross in Robur the Conqueror. Future for 1880s, that is. Strictly speaking, it has separate rotors for lift and thrust, making it a gyrodyne.
 Future Copter / int_622da7da
featureApplicability
1.0
 Future Copter / int_622da7da
featureConfidence
1.0
 Robur the Conqueror
hasFeature
Future Copter / int_622da7da
 Future Copter / int_67b692cc
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_67b692cc
comment
Battlefield 2142 has two futurecopters from two opposing sides of the conflict, the Talon for the EU and the Doragon for the PAC.
 Future Copter / int_67b692cc
featureApplicability
1.0
 Future Copter / int_67b692cc
featureConfidence
1.0
 Battlefield 2142 (Video Game)
hasFeature
Future Copter / int_67b692cc
 Future Copter / int_68b8bdfe
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_68b8bdfe
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X-COM: UFO Defense has the Skyranger, a large Vertical Take-Off and Landing troop transport that can get from one side of the world to the other in about a 12 hours, carrying 14 fully loaded soldiers or as many as three light recon tanks. It pales in comparison to alien tech, but remains useful through the entire game because it doesn't use Elerium for fuel.
The modern remake, XCOM: Enemy Unknown also has the Skyranger, which is toned down slightly. It can still get anywhere in the world in absolutely record time, but it only holds a maximum of 6 soldiers, and it never gets replaced. It uses the call sign Big Sky.
And the sequel, XCOM 2, has a similar transport, though it's never named as a model number. It looks functionally similar to the Skyranger, but includes stealth technology to hide it from detection (allowing your soldiers to get into densely populated and protected areas without alerting alien troops). It uses the call sign Firebrand.
 Future Copter / int_68b8bdfe
featureApplicability
1.0
 Future Copter / int_68b8bdfe
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1.0
 X-COM: UFO Defense (Video Game)
hasFeature
Future Copter / int_68b8bdfe
 Future Copter / int_6b6d989e
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_6b6d989e
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Red Faction II has ducted fan gunships.
 Future Copter / int_6b6d989e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Future Copter / int_6b6d989e
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1.0
 Red Faction (Video Game)
hasFeature
Future Copter / int_6b6d989e
 Future Copter / int_6e34b51b
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_6e34b51b
comment
Soldier of Fortune II has two boss fights with an Osprey expy gunship, although it is considerably smaller and the rotors can tilt independently unlike the real Osprey. A legitimate helicopter makes an appearance in a couple earlier missions.
 Future Copter / int_6e34b51b
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1.0
 Future Copter / int_6e34b51b
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1.0
 Soldier of Fortune (Video Game)
hasFeature
Future Copter / int_6e34b51b
 Future Copter / int_6e627c5c
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_6e627c5c
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Halo 5: Guardians multiplayer has the Wasp, a light gunship with twin autocannons and missile launchers, plus recharging energy shields.
 Future Copter / int_6e627c5c
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1.0
 Future Copter / int_6e627c5c
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1.0
 Halo 5: Guardians (Video Game)
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Future Copter / int_6e627c5c
 Future Copter / int_718f3ed1
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_718f3ed1
comment
Call of Duty: Black Ops II has two very different futurecopters. The impressive-sounding MQ-27 Dragonfire is actually a small RC quadrotor with a light machine gun on board. The more boringly-named VTOL Warship, by contrast, is a huge, manned, heavily armed vehicle of comparable size to the real-world V-22 Osprey.
 Future Copter / int_718f3ed1
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1.0
 Future Copter / int_718f3ed1
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1.0
 Call of Duty: Black Ops II (Video Game)
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Future Copter / int_718f3ed1
 Future Copter / int_7357234c
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_7357234c
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One of the trailers for the Beyond Good & Evil sequel feature a craft like this.
 Future Copter / int_7357234c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Future Copter / int_7357234c
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1.0
 Beyond Good & Evil (Video Game)
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Future Copter / int_7357234c
 Future Copter / int_7385bc4d
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Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_7385bc4d
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In Doraemon there exists helicopter propellers a person can attach to the top of their head to allow unlimited mind-guided flight, making this also a case of Hat of Flight. All of the main characters have one, which they use for long-distance group travel where they know they won't be spotted or if a more standard vehicle won't work.
 Future Copter / int_7385bc4d
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1.0
 Future Copter / int_7385bc4d
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1.0
 Doraemon (Manga)
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Future Copter / int_7385bc4d
 Future Copter / int_755b343f
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Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_755b343f
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Halo:
The Pelican Drop Ship is a pretty close cousin of the dropship from Aliens and is similarly orbital-drop capable.
Halo 3 introduced a one-man aircraft called Hornets◊, which have external handles allowing other players to hitch a ride.
Halo Wars introduces the Sparrowhawk, which is armed with two autocannons and a Spartan Laser, and the Vulture, a heavy gunship suspended by ducted fans that's armed with four autocannons and an insane amount of missiles. Halo Wars 2 introduces the Condor Gunship, an improvised variant of the Condor transport equipped with a mini-Magnetic Accelerator Cannon and multiple pulse laser turrets.
In Halo: Reach, the Hornet is replaced by the Falcon, extremely similar to the V-22 Osprey but smaller, with LMGs on the open sides and jet engines.
Halo 5: Guardians multiplayer has the Wasp, a light gunship with twin autocannons and missile launchers, plus recharging energy shields.
 Future Copter / int_755b343f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Future Copter / int_755b343f
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1.0
 Halo (Franchise)
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Future Copter / int_755b343f
 Future Copter / int_791f9a4a
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_791f9a4a
comment
Vehicles like this are seen in Bubblegum Crisis. In the first episode, we see a small police attack chopper, the size of a small car, that's the helicopter equivalent of a motorcycle or Three/Quad-Wheel ATV with a gatling gun slung underneath. Larger models appear in the series that use a huge single ducted rotor that the vehicle is nearly built around. The Knight Sabers themselves use a dual-rotored military aerodyne. They use a newer, more heavily-armed custom model in Bubblegum Crash.
 Future Copter / int_791f9a4a
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1.0
 Future Copter / int_791f9a4a
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 Bubblegum Crisis
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Future Copter / int_791f9a4a
 Future Copter / int_7a7a1a86
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Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_7a7a1a86
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In Aliens, the Colonial Marines' dropship is a fully spaceworthy version of the design.
 Future Copter / int_7a7a1a86
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1.0
 Future Copter / int_7a7a1a86
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1.0
 Aliens
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Future Copter / int_7a7a1a86
 Future Copter / int_7b039953
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_7b039953
comment
The RDA in Avatar makes use of several ducted-fan aircraft: the Scorpion, a classic assault helicopter, the Samson, used for personnel transport and heavy lifting, and the truly massive, four-rotored Dragon Gunship.
 Future Copter / int_7b039953
featureApplicability
1.0
 Future Copter / int_7b039953
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1.0
 Avatar
hasFeature
Future Copter / int_7b039953
 Future Copter / int_7cf12e3e
type
Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_7cf12e3e
comment
Things to Come: A gyrocopter is used to ferry the Bold Explorers to the giant gun that will shoot them into outer space, avoiding the Evil Luddite mob that has gathered to stop them.
 Future Copter / int_7cf12e3e
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1.0
 Future Copter / int_7cf12e3e
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 Things to Come
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Future Copter / int_7cf12e3e
 Future Copter / int_7da2ca56
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Future Copter
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The Formic Wars novels feature a mix between this and a Hover Tank. The new vehicles developed by Jukes, Ltd., use Artificial Gravity as their primary means of propulsion (by projecting a "gravity lens" above the craft, thus keeping it aloft). However, as backup, they include deployable rotors. Two of these are developed for and purchased by the New Zealand SAS. A certain Lieutenant Mazer Rackham pilots one of them. He mentions that the rotors are useless for the craft's primary purpose — extraction under fire. The craft is supposed to fly in low, almost grazing treetops, in order to minimize its radar signature, extend an arm, grab the ground vehicle in need of extraction, fly away, and transfer the crew and/or passengers aboard, all without getting shot down. However, given how low the craft is flying, the rotors would simply not have enough time to deploy in case of "gravity lens" failure. This is proven true during the Formic invasion, resulting in Mazer being the only survivor of the crew. When China expresses an interest in purchasing these from Jukes, Mazer points out to his commanding officer that the company has an exclusive agreement with New Zealand for the craft. The CO explains that China can afford to buy many more such vehicles than just 2, so Jukes would rather pay New Zealand a fine than bother keeping to the terms of the contract. Instead, Mazer will be sent to China to teach Chinese pilots how to fly these things.
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Future Copter
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The Fallout series has the Vertibirds which are clearly inspired by the V-22 Osprey. Used by both the Enclave and, later, the East Coast Brotherhood of Steel, they are often deployed in both fire support and troop transport roles in the wastelands of the post-apocalyptic United States.
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 Future Copter / int_83ad4daa
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Future Copter
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Pokémon: The First Movie: Giovanni uses one to pick Mewtwo up from the future New Island.
 Future Copter / int_83ad4daa
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1.0
 Future Copter / int_83ad4daa
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 Pokémon: The First Movie
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Future Copter / int_83ad4daa
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Future Copter
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Girl Genius has a twin ducted-fan helicopter... a pedal-powered one.
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Future Copter
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Team America: World Police have their own Futurecopter that deploys from the mouth of Abraham Lincoln on Mt. Rushmore.
 Future Copter / int_87527199
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Future Copter
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Though Gundam normally focuses on the Mobile Suits, there are a few examples here and there. Notably the Fanfan from Mobile Suit Gundam and the VTOL Fighter from Mobile Suit Gundam SEED.
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Future Copter
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Sleeper: In 2173, we'll have helicopter backpacks... but they won't work very well.
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Future Copter
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Space Cadet (Heinlein): The Farm Boy protagonist is picked up by a helicopter, which doesn't seem too strange until you realise it's a personal helicopter that his family fly themselves, their version of a family car — he mentions getting his copter license at the age of 12.
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Known Space stories frequently mention similar craft as "cars", but their descriptions tend to be sketchy. A Gift from Earth mentions that Plateau cars have four fans and only the upper caste is allowed to drive cars. To add some confusion, stories set later (e.g., Ringworld) use the word "car" for anti-gravity craft.
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The Hunter-Killer Aerials from The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day are of the ducted jet engine VTOL type. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines features small, autonomous prototypes which pursue the heroes.
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 The Terminator
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Future Copter / int_9058ad7e
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Future Copter
 Future Copter / int_90a3a7f4
comment
Global Justice field tilt-fan VTOL craft when they appear in Kim Possible, and when Ron briefly becomes a multi-millionaire, he buys an aircraft for Kim that resembles an Osprey with jets instead of rotors.
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Future Copter
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The Tempest in LEGO City Undercover is this type of aircraft. Unlike most of the vehicles in the game, it isn't based on an existing LEGO set.
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1.0
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Future Copter / int_96008f5e
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Future Copter
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G-Police and its sequel feature VTOLs that eschew the idea of rotors altogether — they are powered by two jets on the sides. Why they still have the classic helicopter shape — lopsided tail included — is never explained.
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Future Copter
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The Vulture suit from Spider-Man: Homecoming has VTOL rotors in addition to wings.
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Future Copter
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Brave New World also did this as far back as the 1930s with an early example of small personal helicopters used, Flying Car-style, for short urban distances, à la the above example of Just Imagine.
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Future Copter
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Orbit-capable versions of these machines seem common on Earth in Elysium, and the main antagonist, Kruger, spends a fair proportion of the movie getting about in a particularly heavily-armed one. Oddly, however, on Elysium itself, more conventional rotorcraft seem to be preferred (probably to avoid polluting the air?).
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Future Copter
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They show up quite a bit in Generator Rex, usually being used by Providence.
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Future Copter
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Super Sentai has had a few, starting with Rescue Sentai GoGoFive's Green Hover, as well as the Pat-Gyrer from Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger (whose cowlings form a set of Humongous Mecha-scale handcuffs when it combines into Dekaranger Robo) and the GouGou Gyro in GoGo Sentai Boukenger.
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The Chrysalis Pod in Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker is an automated drone example of this.
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The Incredibles features some VTOL aircraft known as Vipers, flown by the mooks guarding the Supervillain Lair.
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Warhammer 40,000:
The Blight Drone and the larger Foetid Bloat-Drone Daemon Engines that often accompany the forces of the Chaos God Nurgle are hideous amalgams of diseased flesh and rusted metal held aloft by multiple engine fans that allow them to hover across the battlefield in imitation of the bloated flies that are the sacred animal of the Plague God.
The Stormtalon Gunships operated by the Adeptus Astartes are powered by a pair of vectored engines on either side of the hull that allow the aircraft to easily switch between high-speed flight and stable hover modes so that it can fulfil a number of different combat roles from interceptor to ground attack and direct infantry support.
In the 2nd Edition of the Epic version of the game system, the Iron Eagle Attack Gyrocopter is the primary aircraft used by the Squat Engineers Guild. The Iron Eagle has a high-powered turbofan mounted on each side of its hull which, when combined with the aircraft’s gravitic thrusters, gives the flying machine phenomenal manoeuvrability.
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Future Copter
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Space: Above and Beyond had the Inter Solar System Cargo Vessel (ISSCV), a drop ship which functioned on the show as a combination between a shuttle and a helicopter, using tilting thrusters on the wings to switch between VTOL and horizontal flight. The ISSCV was also modular, being able to switch out between different setups specialized for cargo, passengers, gunships, etc. Also, the modules could be attached or detached on the fly, allowing a ISSCV to drop off a module filled with cargo or personnel and take off to points elsewhere, while the Marines could use the module as a command post or bunker.
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Future Copter
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The ducted fan "hovercopter" in Perfect Dark, and Killian's VTOL tilt-jet troop transport/gunship in Perfect Dark Zero.
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Future Copter
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BattleTech features several futuristic VTOL vehicles, such as the Aeron and Yasha. The massive Anhur and Karnov transport VTOLs both use tiltrotor engines like those on the V-22 Osprey.
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Future Copter
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The GDI Orca and its variants from the Command & Conquer: Tiberian Series are ducted-rotor/jet-engine VTOLs. Some variants go as far as being a Drop Ship. Nod counterparts eventually surfaced in the second half of the entire series, such as the Venom strike craft, which, unlike GDI's Orca gunship, is capable of air-to-air combat, although falls significantly short in this role to GDI's own Firehawk.
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Future Copter
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Halo 3 introduced a one-man aircraft called Hornets◊, which have external handles allowing other players to hitch a ride.
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And the sequel, XCOM 2, has a similar transport, though it's never named as a model number. It looks functionally similar to the Skyranger, but includes stealth technology to hide it from detection (allowing your soldiers to get into densely populated and protected areas without alerting alien troops). It uses the call sign Firebrand.
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In Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, these are the standard method of transportation in service for Section Nine, as well as the requisite black choppers. Some civilian airports use them as well, though standard jet-engine airliners exist too.
They have standard single-rotor helicopters as well. Section 9 has to steal one from the Japan Ground Self Defense Force in order to resolve a conflict in the 2nd season. the JSDF also employs Jigabachi-class attack helicopters, which are designed after hornets. When getting ready to attack, the helicopter rears back and aims the minigun on its abdomen towards its target. The wasp-fashioned attack helicopters make for an interesting animal motif, considering that the tanks in this setting are all of the Spider Tank variety, fitting in with one standard mission of attack choppers: tank busting.
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Future Copter
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Appropriately enough, the Fawfulcopters in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story. They are small, unmanned drones equipped with an arm to hold things, such as keys, and a speaker of which Fawful can use to talk to other people from a distance.
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Almost all aircraft in PlanetSide 2 operate using rotating jet engines, which function like the tiltrotors on an Osprey. The Galaxy transport, for example, gets a pair of huge engines on its front wings and a smaller pair on its rear wings, all of which can rotate to allow the enormous aircraft to hover in place or fly. The only ones that don't use external rotating engines are the Reaver (in-line vectored engines) and the Scythe (flies using reverse-engineered Vanu technology).
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Future Copter
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Dune and Dune: Part Two: Ornithopters are utilized on Arakis by both off-world factions. They use vertical flapping wings to levitate and move, and in this intepretation, the ornithopters flap their wings like a dragonfly. The 1984 version instead did away with the flapping wings and has small VTOL aircrafts.
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About halfway through Freedom Planet, Serpentine pilots a large, vaguely military-looking helicopter as a boss battle. The chopper can deploy an unlimited number of Shade Troopers, though only two can be present on the ground at a time, and its wings are packed with guns and missiles.
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Future Copter
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StarCraft II:
Banshee tactical strike aircraft use ducted fans and, for some reason, a tail rotor. They're also able to cloak themselves and move in space... somehow.
Medivac and Dropship use twin jet engines that visibly swing back and forth when moving or hovering.
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In Grand Theft Astro, ornithopters are the only kind of aircraft employed on Saturn's moon Titan. It's the only place in the Solar System where 'thopters can be used due to Titan's unique combination of low gravity and dense atmosphere. In addition, other forms of propulsion can be dangerous in a methane atmosphere due to the chance of a spark igniting the gas (although you still need oxygen for the fire to happen).
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In the Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers episode "Bronto Bear", the Black hole gang use a futuristic copter to rile up the titular Rent-a-Zilla.
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The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Future Copter
processingCategory2
Futuristic Tech Index
 Future Copter
processingCategory2
Speculative Fiction Tropes
 Future Copter
processingCategory2
Tropes on a Plane
 Ghost in the Shell (1995) / int_9f679e25
type
Future Copter
 Pokémon: The First Movie / int_9f679e25
type
Future Copter
 Avatar / int_9f679e25
type
Future Copter
 Avatar: The Way of Water / int_9f679e25
type
Future Copter
 Dune: Part Two / int_9f679e25
type
Future Copter
 Oblivion (2013) / int_9f679e25
type
Future Copter
 Spider-Man: Homecoming / int_9f679e25
type
Future Copter
 Team America: World Police / int_9f679e25
type
Future Copter
 Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines / int_9f679e25
type
Future Copter
 The 6th Day / int_9f679e25
type
Future Copter
 The Dark Knight Rises / int_d602b205
type
Future Copter
 The Terminator / int_9f679e25
type
Future Copter
 G.I. Joe (Franchise) / int_9f679e25
type
Future Copter
 The Mountain in the Sea / int_9f679e25
type
Future Copter
 The Saga of Tanya the Evil / int_9f679e25
type
Future Copter
 Futurecopter
sameAs
Future Copter
 ARMA (Video Game) / int_9f679e25
type
Future Copter
 Battlefield 2042 (Video Game) / int_9f679e25
type
Future Copter
 Command & Conquer: Tiberian Dawn (Video Game) / int_9f679e25
type
Future Copter
 Deus Ex: Human Revolution (Video Game) / int_9f679e25
type
Future Copter
 8Bit Killer (Video Game) / int_9f679e25
type
Future Copter
 EndWar (Video Game) / int_9f679e25
type
Future Copter
 Gobtron (Video Game) / int_9f679e25
type
Future Copter
 Kerbal Space Program (Video Game) / int_9f679e25
type
Future Copter
 MechWarrior (Video Game) / int_9f679e25
type
Future Copter
 PlanetSide (Video Game) / int_9f679e25
type
Future Copter
 Saints Row: The Third (Video Game) / int_9f679e25
type
Future Copter
 The Ninja Warriors (1994) (Video Game) / int_9f679e25
type
Future Copter
 Wild Metal Country (Video Game) / int_9f679e25
type
Future Copter
 XCOM 2 (Video Game) / int_9f679e25
type
Future Copter
 Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers / int_9f679e25
type
Future Copter
 Appleseed (Manga) / int_9f679e25
type
Future Copter