First Footage of Larry Page’s "Flying Car"

Megalith

Megalith

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The Google founder is obsessed about flying cars, too, and now there’s footage of the prototype vehicle he’s been backing: the Kitty Hawk Flyer. It looks goofy as hell, but they claim the FAA has already cleared it for use in uncongested areas, and you don’t need a license to operate it. Might be fun flying it into crowds.
 
Yeah, the "flying car" has been the holy grail in transportation for a long time.
There has been dozens of versions for the last 100 years that "worked" but the truth was they were greatly lacking as an air craft, and they sucked as a car.
As far as this thing goes, it doesn't qualify as either. The most plausible is some form of an auto-gyro.
 
If we are using the term "car" that loosely then we have had flying cars for a long time now, we just call them planes.
 
The need to call that thing 'The Decapitator'.

I suggest they put some kind of protection around those blades. Hopefully it can go a little higher to clear trees or else it is limited to open fields and waterways.

Looks fun!
 
Why is it that everyone who has something that flies, is doing it above water?
 
this is a cool alternative to the banana boat, or that silly water-jet-pack thing. I don't think I'll be taking this to work on the daily commute over I95.
 
TrailRunner said:
I am really not one for class struggle and 'the 1 percent' and all that jazz…
But lake house, private beach, 'take the boat over', sweaters draped over shoulders - man that is some crazy-ass white people 1% BS right there.
Click to expand...

Here, man, just for you.

RALPH-LAUREN-BLACK-MODELS-COLORFUL-SHIRTS.jpg
 
"how are you going to get here so fast?!"

"I am going to build a bridge of money! How else?"
 
Insula Gilliganis said:
Definition of car
  1. 1: a vehicle moving on wheels
Where are the wheels?? No wheels.. not a car!!
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I wouldn't be quite that strict on the definition of a 'car', but I would insist that it be able to perform the primary functions of a car. And in order to do that it must be licensed to travel on public roads, at a minimum. As far as I can see, this thing can't meet even that standard. At best, it is a replacement for the ATV and/or airboat. Which is cool, but it's not a "car". BTW, you could also quibble with the term "flying" since it's so limited in the vertical direction. Perhaps "hovering" is a better term. So maybe improved "hovercraft" is the right description?
 
I bet that thing is noisy as all hell, nothing like having your day at the beach ruined by a noisy water hover thingy going about.
 
People can't even fly a remote controlled drone the size of a basketball, let alone attempt to ride one. People are far too stupid to have such technology.
 
As someone that builds FPV Quad copters, The first thing I was thinking is "Build list" and "Open source"?

I bet you could make one for a fraction of whatever this company is going to charge and since it will most likely be open source it will improve over their static version. Looking forward to building my first one!
 
wgm3446 said:
People can't even fly a remote controlled drone the size of a basketball, let alone attempt to ride one. People are far too stupid to have such technology.
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AFAICT, a big part of being unable to fly something remotely is "Which way was it going again", "Your left or my left", and "Is it upside down? I can't tell from here". All of that's mitigated when you add the meat sack to the machine. OTOH, I am in tech support, so I also don't trust the general public to wash my windows, never mind operate a flying mixmaster.

Accursed said:
As someone that builds FPV Quad copters, The first thing I was thinking is "Build list" and "Open source"?

I bet you could make one for a fraction of whatever this company is going to charge and since it will most likely be open source it will improve over their static version. Looking forward to building my first one!
Click to expand...

Between that guy with pulse-jets on his hands, advances in quad-copter tech, and mad men like Furze, it's a good time for the home hobbyist who dreams of flight.
 
Its a drone with a human on it. I would not call this a car at all.
 
If you read the FAQ, it's a flying boat.

You can only use if over water.

It also costs 100 bucks to join their mailing list and have a chance to buy at the end of 2017. However they don't say how much at this time
 
rudedog said:
If you read the FAQ, it's a flying boat.

You can only use if over water.

It also costs 100 bucks to join their mailing list and have a chance to buy at the end of 2017. However they don't say how much at this time
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considering that there is a 2K discount.. from the FAQ
What do I get if I become a member? When you become a Kitty Hawk Flyer member, you will receive:

  • A three-year membership to a passionate community of like-minded people who want to see the world in a whole new way’
  • Priority placement on the Kitty Hawk Flyer customer wait list and a $2,000 discount off the retail price
  • Exclusive access to Kitty Hawk experiences, our flight simulator, flight demonstrations, and events where a select few will get the chance to ride the Flyer
  • Opportunities to meet the team that invented the Flyer
  • Behind-the-scenes videos and get product updates before the rest of the world
  • Members-only Kitty Hawk gear
that thing gonna be spendy...
 
I like how they cannot just show the vehicle, but feel compelled to make some silly nonsensical story about it.
 
I wonder if you bank that thing hard enough if you can stall it and flop into the water...
 
Accursed said:
As someone that builds FPV Quad copters, The first thing I was thinking is "Build list" and "Open source"?

I bet you could make one for a fraction of whatever this company is going to charge and since it will most likely be open source it will improve over their static version. Looking forward to building my first one!
Click to expand...

That's the general theory of why the Experimental Amateur Built (EAB) category exists. Look at the Epic LT, it was a monster compared to many turboprops you could buy commercially at the time. Look at the Velocity V-Twin, in theory a much better twin engine. Others are changing it (because it's experimental you can do whatever the heck you want) with different engines like 2x200hp turbo JetA burning Diesel engines (Deltahawk). Or use small turboprop engines, and turning it into a 6 seater.
 
just looks like a pontoon meets drone must be nice to have millions of dollars to fiddle **** around with stuff like this just to kill the time as a hobby on the side and yeah doesn't look too safe in it's current form, but of course it's been cleared cause with enough money they can influence people to look the other way on safety concerns and protocols others would assuredly have to follow that are probably better qualified to realize the safety concerns mechanically speaking that could go horribly wrong like a flipped over lawn mower and safety warnings
 
TrailRunner said:
I am really not one for class struggle and 'the 1 percent' and all that jazz…
But lake house, private beach, 'take the boat over', sweaters draped over shoulders - man that is some crazy-ass white people 1% BS right there.
Click to expand...

Don't hate! The sweaters on shoulders is a staple. ;)

YeuEmMaiMai said:
considering that there is a 2K discount.. from the FAQ
What do I get if I become a member? When you become a Kitty Hawk Flyer member, you will receive:

  • A three-year membership to a passionate community of like-minded people who want to see the world in a whole new way’
  • Priority placement on the Kitty Hawk Flyer customer wait list and a $2,000 discount off the retail price
  • Exclusive access to Kitty Hawk experiences, our flight simulator, flight demonstrations, and events where a select few will get the chance to ride the Flyer
  • Opportunities to meet the team that invented the Flyer
  • Behind-the-scenes videos and get product updates before the rest of the world
  • Members-only Kitty Hawk gear
that thing gonna be spendy...
Click to expand...

I just went through with registration, I'm genuinely freaking curious, and I never sign up for shit like this. They ask if you're a pilot and all that jazz in the sign up form, I wonder how relevant that'll be...

knowom said:
just looks like a pontoon meets drone must be nice to have millions of dollars to fiddle **** around with stuff like this just to kill the time as a hobby on the side and yeah doesn't look too safe in it's current form, but of course it's been cleared cause with enough money they can influence people to look the other way on safety concerns and protocols others would assuredly have to follow that are probably better qualified to realize the safety concerns mechanically speaking that could go horribly wrong like a flipped over lawn mower and safety warnings
Click to expand...

Have you ever heard of a period or comma? Fuck man. Anyway, the guy has more money than god, but he did work for it, of course he's going to fiddle with shit in his spare time. I'm hoping this is regulated enough where it becomes "like a car" at some point in the future, where we won't have to worry about getting our limbs lopped off, or it exploding mid-air, etc.
 
I know of a few rich folks I need to sway into buying one of these. That is if I can sway them on boxed and bum wine.
 
That guy would be missing a leg if he'd been drunk riding that never ride a homemade hover bike and drive drunk people...just saying you might lop off a limb or another individuals and that's why lawnmower seats have kill switch built in just in case some drunk idiot rolls it over onto them on a hillside.
 
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