“I wish I could fly” is probably of the most overused "wishes" in existence. People are always wishing they could fly for reasons ranging from escaping the traffic to simply enjoying a panoramic view of a given locale.
A new prototype for a personal transport vehicle doesn’t exactly let you grow wings but it might bring the dream of being able to fly a little closer to reality.
The “E-volo Multicopter” is the work of a team of German professionals that include a physicist, a programmer and a designer.
With 16 propellers to make it hover in the air and a steerable joystick, this craft recently completed its maiden voyage.
It is imagined that the E-volo will be mostly used for recreation and aerial photography. So unfortunately not a likely alternative to weekday traffic congestion, yet.
Computers onboard the craft control the altitude, directional control and the balance of the aircraft. Unmanned flights could also be made possible by integrating GPS into the system. The 16 propellers are independently controlled and use ordinary batteries.
It is estimated that a one-hour flight costs about six Euros (about ZAR60) to operate, which makes it rather cheap for a flight.
