Kitty Hawk, a Silicon Valley startup funded by Google founder Larry Page, unveiled its first flying car prototype Monday. The company plans to start selling the vehicle by the end of this year.
The Kitty Hawk Flyer is a one-person, open-seated aircraft. Powered by eight propellers, the 220-pound prototype is less like a flying car and more like a giant quadcopter or something from Star Wars.
The fully-electric aircraft doesn’t need a pilot’s license and, per FAA regulations, can be flown in uncongested areas in the U.S. Piloting the Flyer is apparently so easy that it only takes a few minutes to learn, Kitty Hawk says on its website.
The company recently conducted a five-minute test flight 15 feet above a lake in California, The New York Times reports.
Despite no set price, Kitty Hawk is calling for prospective pilots to pay $100 for its “Discovery Membership” to get a chance to fly the aircraft and other exclusive offerings, like a $2,000 discount on the Flyer.
The New York Times reports the final model will look different and fly more quietly than the current prototype.
—RealClearLife
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