Have you seen my flying car?

[VirtualLarry]

Watch: Flying car company boss commutes to work in space age vehicle

Tomasz Patan made the first-ever commute in an $83k space-age flying car last year, powered by eight motors and reaching up to 63mph.

en.as.com

Space age flging vehicle, once we all get these, there will no need for "15 minute cities".

 

[sdifox]

So you think the same people that can't handle 2D movement vehicles are going to do better with a 3D movement vehicle?

 

[purbeast0]

So basically a drone that fits people?

Yeah, not impressed.

404 - space age vehicle not found.

 

[FelixDeCat]

I would call that an ultralight variant which can be flown w/o a pilots license or need to file a flight plan which are big obstacles for many.

What Planes Can You Fly Without a Pilot’s License? - Pilot Institute

Today we will discuss about Aircraft under the FAA’s 14 CFR Part 103 ultralight category do not require a pilot's license to fly.

pilotinstitute.com

How to Fly a Plane without a License​

According to 14 CFR Part 103.1 (FAR 103), you may only fly an aircraft without a license according to the following conditions:

• The aircraft has one seat (no passengers allowed).
• The aircraft may only be flown for recreational or sports purposes (no commercial operations).
• The aircraft must weigh less than 155 pounds if it is not powered (it has no engine).
• The aircraft must weigh less than 254 pounds (when empty) if it is powered (has an engine).
• The aircraft must have a fuel capacity of no more than 5 U.S. gallons.
• The aircraft must not be able to exceed 55 knots at full power in level flight.
• The aircraft’s stall speed must not exceed 24 knots (power-off).

I highlighted the gas requirement because typical ultralights have limited range due to the 5 gal limit. But with a battery (limited to weight however) that might give you more range.

I have always wanted to own an ultralight and would take the electric one any day.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

I'd call them soon to be caskets.

 

[NutBucket]

This is a flying car

Klein Vision – Flying Car

 

[nakedfrog]

What's wrong with "15 minute cities"? I can obtain nearly everything I need within a 15 minute drive (with a little more bicycle infrastructure, I could bike most of those places in just about the same amount of time) and it beats the hell out of when I was living in a rural town and had to drive anywhere from 20-45 minutes depending on what I needed.

 

[VirtualLarry]

What's wrong with "15 minute cities"?

Because... Agenda 2030... "they" don't want YOU leaving the ant-hill, and spoiling the wilderness for "them".

These single-person drone-craft, would do the exact opposite - open up "the wilderness" to the individual... that can afford a flying car.

 

[sdifox]

Because... Agenda 2030... "they" don't want YOU leaving the ant-hill, and spoiling the wilderness for "them".

These single-person drone-craft, would do the exact opposite - open up "the wilderness" to the individual... that can afford a flying car.

Wait what? You are in Nutty Squirrel territory!

 

[nakedfrog]

Because... Agenda 2030... "they" don't want YOU leaving the ant-hill, and spoiling the wilderness for "them".

These single-person drone-craft, would do the exact opposite - open up "the wilderness" to the individual... that can afford a flying car.

I live right next to the wilderness too, so... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Sounds like a load of nonsense to me.

 

[PowerEngineer]

So you think the same people that can't handle 2D movement vehicles are going to do better with a 3D movement vehicle?

Yes, imagine the rain of debris from midair "fender benders". Hopefully NOMBY (Not Over My Back Yard)!

Because... Agenda 2030... "they" don't want YOU leaving the ant-hill, and spoiling the wilderness for "them".

These single-person drone-craft, would do the exact opposite - open up "the wilderness" to the individual... that can afford a flying car.

Yes, just in the same way that dirt bikes "open up" the wilderness while destroying it at the same time. A good pair of hiking boots is enough to get you away from the ant hill.

 

[bba-tcg]

I'm still waiting for my jet pack:

 

[Muadib]

I'm still waiting for my jet pack:

Here you go! You can Paypal my finders fee.

Martin Jetpack

Odds are, you've dreamed of having the ability to fly unaided, soaring above the rooftops effortlessly, only to wake up and realize that you're still bound to the ground. With the Martin Jetpack ($100,000 and up), you can fly to...

uncrate.com

 

[bba-tcg]

Here you go! You can Paypal my finders fee.

Martin Jetpack

Odds are, you've dreamed of having the ability to fly unaided, soaring above the rooftops effortlessly, only to wake up and realize that you're still bound to the ground. With the Martin Jetpack ($100,000 and up), you can fly to...

uncrate.com

I'm not doubting they make them, but I want mine for free.

 

[Muadib]

I'm not doubting they make them, but I want mine for free.

You better talk to your daddy then.

 

[bba-tcg]

You better talk to your daddy then.

Now why didn't I think of that? Thanks!

 

[gorobei]

air taxi or evtol is the new frontier.

the airlines did a study on trip distance and pricing. shorter distance flights have demand but the economics of jet engines dont work. piston engine planes while more fuel efficient have maintence costs and down time issues. with battery tech progressing, the crossover point of the curves where electric engines become viable or equivalent to ICE is near enough that companies are jumping in now. with improved battery tech, it becomes cheaper than ice for shorter distance flights. it is an open market with no real advantage to established names.

the air taxi rush is due to rich people being willing to pay big money to skip the 90min commute to travel 30 miles in urban areas due to traffic jams bringing everything to bumper to bumper crawl.

eVTOL Companies Are Worth Billions—Who are the Key Players?

Today, some 250 companies work towards what they hope will be a revolution in urban transportation. Some are flying a small fleet of prototype aircraft; others have nothing more than a design concept. Imagine, they say, hundreds of eVTOLs swarming through big city skies during a typical rush hour.

spectrum.ieee.org

yes they are upscaled quad drone tech, but some are going for hybrid fixed wing for speed/range as well as some coanda effect and entrainment versions. the primary advantage is maintenance is more or less plug and play where you swap out a engine/fan in minutes like a nascar pit crew.

the big hurdle will be navigating safety and regulation from the government. the overly optimistic paint a picture of any joe schmoe piloting these things but even with ai pilots taking the humans out of the equation, i cant see people being too comfortable with a hundredfold increase in several thousand pound objects flying over their homes. the aviation industry is highly regulated and enforced for a reason.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I would call that an ultralight variant which can be flown w/o a pilots license or need to file a flight plan which are big obstacles for many.

What Planes Can You Fly Without a Pilot’s License? - Pilot Institute

Today we will discuss about Aircraft under the FAA’s 14 CFR Part 103 ultralight category do not require a pilot's license to fly.

pilotinstitute.com

How to Fly a Plane without a License​

According to 14 CFR Part 103.1 (FAR 103), you may only fly an aircraft without a license according to the following conditions:

• The aircraft has one seat (no passengers allowed).
• The aircraft may only be flown for recreational or sports purposes (no commercial operations).
• The aircraft must weigh less than 155 pounds if it is not powered (it has no engine).
• The aircraft must weigh less than 254 pounds (when empty) if it is powered (has an engine).
• The aircraft must have a fuel capacity of no more than 5 U.S. gallons.
• The aircraft must not be able to exceed 55 knots at full power in level flight.
• The aircraft’s stall speed must not exceed 24 knots (power-off).

I highlighted the gas requirement because typical ultralights have limited range due to the 5 gal limit. But with a battery (limited to weight however) that might give you more range.

I have always wanted to own an ultralight and would take the electric one any day.

Interesting. Did not realize that was a thing. The idea of being able to build a plane and fly it without needing a license is kind of cool. I imagine it still requires registration and such though.

 

[FelixDeCat]

Interesting. Did not realize that was a thing. The idea of being able to build a plane and fly it without needing a license is kind of cool. I imagine it still requires registration and such though.

Im not sure what the rules are for Canada, but I've always wanted an ultralight. Lots of good videos on Youtube.

Sure, they are likely death traps if you are not careful but then everything fun has a degree of risk. They should raise the weight limit IMO.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Im not sure what the rules are for Canada, but I've always wanted an ultralight. Lots of good videos on Youtube.

Sure, they are likely death traps if you are not careful but then everything fun has a degree of risk. They should raise the weight limit IMO.

Probably still safer than a home made submarine!

 

[quikah]

This is never going to take off. Liability is a huge issue. Safety. I cannot imagine what insurance rates would be like for one of these.

When you have engine trouble in a regular car you pull to the side of a road, when you have engine trouble in a flying car you pretty much die. It takes a lot of training for pilots to be able to handle emergency situations, no way the average commuter is going to be able to do that.