BlackFly Wants To Be The Flying Car You Can Finally Buy Next Year, And For Cheap

BlackFly is an all-electric vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) personal aerial vehicle from a Silicon Valley via Canada company called Opener.

“Opener is re-energizing the art of flight with a safe and affordable flying vehicle that can free its operators from the everyday restrictions of ground transportation,” said designer and CEO Marcus Leng.

BlackFly has more of a UFO look to it than other VTOLs and personal flying vehicles out there. Using eight small rotors spread across two parallel wings, it takes off by sort of rolling on and off the ground via its belly.

Opener says it designed BlackFly with “triple-modular redundant flight systems, control surfaces, and sensors” to ensure safety and has flown over ten thousands miles of test flights. There’s also auto-landing and return-to-home features to add extra usability. The company says the single seater, a joystick-operated system need no formal licensing in the U.S. to fly, but Opener will mandate that users take the FAA Private Pilot examination and complete its own operator training.

The flying car can fly for up to 25 miles at a speed of 62 mph, which represents the current limitations of battery designs and technology. it will cost about the same as an SUV (but they don’t say what SUV, Jeep Renegade or Bentley Bentayga). So there is still hope it will be cheap and my Jetson family dream will come true.