As congestion on America’s highways continues to spread, SureFly, a personal helicopter, offers technology for commuters to fly over traffic in a partially electric drone-like aircraft for two people.
The helicopter with a target pricepoint around $200,000, includes 8 rotors and a hybrid motor that can fly for up to 2 hours at a time.
The Federal Aviation Administration requires a skilled pilot to operate vehicles like the SureFly, but Elliot Bokeno with Workhorse, the Ohio based company trying to bring the aircraft to market, says it isn’t difficult to use, “You don’t need a huge skill set to fly it. If you can fly a drone, you can fly this.”
For safety, SureFly uses a computer that is constantly monitoring the safety and stability of the flight. But just in case, there’s also a battery backup if the generator fails.
Additionally, “You’ve also got a ballistic parachute up top to save the craft in the event of a catastrophic failure,” said Bokeno.
In May, the helicopter lifted off the ground for its first hover , and in November, Quantum XYZ, an on-demand air travel company, placed a pre-order to begin a Los Angeles-based air taxi service.
“We invite a future where safe, on-demand air travel is as ubiquitous as car service, a future in which aircrafts consume half the energy but generate twice the fun. We’re excited to partner with Workhorse in our efforts to bring the first Urban VTOL air carrier service to market, starting with a SureFly launch fleet in Los Angeles,” stated Zeeshan Moha, Vice President and Chief Route Architect of Quantum XYZ.
Working with the Federal Aviation Administration, Workhorse hopes to have its first model to customers by 2021.
