Remember the Kitty Hawk Flyer that was unveiled back in June? There seems to be a new contender on the market that might just give it a run for its money.
Californian company Opener recently revealed their own attempt at a flying car: the BlackFly. The machine is powered by eight propulsion systems and can carry one person for some 25 miles at speeds of up to 62mph.
The car is currently being tested in Canada, where it has been authorized for use by the aviation authority there.
Much like the Kitty Hawk, the vehicle is not designed to be driven on roads and it carries many resemblances to a larger drone, fit for one human passenger.
BlackFly is easy to pilot, and can fly autonomously or be under the control of an operator. CEO Marcus Leng told CBS News that “the operator would have total command of three-dimensional space.”
It will not even require a pilot’s license but even so, Opener said that the rider would undergo a training programme before getting inside the cockpit.
The BlackFly is one of the many other flying cars that various companies want to have in the air by 2020 and Opener definitely wants to be at the top of that list – they want the BlackFly to be available for purchase as soon as next year for about the same price as an SUV.
The company has support from the former knowledge vice-president of Google Alan Eustace, who is also on the project’s board of directors. With that in mind, Opener’s ambitions might not be too far fetched.
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