Posted on 01/16/2012 5:14:04 PM PST by Olog-hai
It's a special kind of dressage: When Raffaello D'Andrea lifts his right arm, a plate-sized helicopter obediently starts its engine. When he moves his finger through the air, the device follows as if on a horse's lead. …
At first sight, the way D'Andrea controls the device with gestures might seem like magic. But the researcher is aiming for something quite different than magic: He wants to build flying robots that are so ordinary and simple that anyone can control them. "Today's cars are my ideal," he says. "They are nearly perfect; all you have to do is put gas in them and change the oil from time to time."
But even as he watches his flying robots, D'Andrea's thoughts are already elsewhere: in a car flying above the clouds. To bring this dream closer to reality, he wants to teach his drones to do what their pilots want while at the same time avoiding all the beginners' mistakes that come with navigating in three dimensions. …
Though playful-looking, the aerial performances are actually part of a determined European effort to challenge the supremacy of Japan and the United States, the two superpowers in the world of robotics. … (N)ow Europe wants to soar past the competition—with partially autonomous flying cars. The €4.3-million ($5.5-million) EU program called "myCopter" is designed to help develop the third dimension for personal travel as part of a so-called "personal air transport system" (PATS). …
(Excerpt) Read more at spiegel.de ...
Start with an off-road hoverbike.
Is this the eCat guy? The other Italian technology export.
But, why would Europe need flying cars when they have high speed rail?
No need to worry about this any time soon....the EU will economically implode before this project ever comes to fruition. =.=
LLS
Gen Av is very hard in Europe.
* Noise restrictions, more complicated exhaust systems in some countries
* Fuel Prices through the moon.
* Their version of the FAA in England is real strict for homebuilts.
Even if this thing is droneish and you go along for the ride, Socialist Nanny State Europe? Really? No way Jose....
Flying cars. Depending on the amount of traffic, unless everything is computer controlled and there is no human involvement, I think there’s going to be somewhat of a problem keeping these cars separated from each other. Ask any Air Traffic Controller.
Flying cars? With the way the European economy is tottering I would place higher odds on the common use of ox-carts than on flying cars become common.
Airborne Commuters: EU Project Sees Flying Carpets in Europe’s Skies
ain’t gonna happen. no government would ever sanction this. first of all there would be no way to keep them from falling during breakdowns, or collisions (powerlines anyone?) Air Traffic Control? spying in people’s backyards? runnign out of gas at altitude? fog/rain?
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