Back in 1939, Igor Sikorsky designed and flew the world’s first viable helicopter, which pioneered the rotor configuration used by most helicopters today, and after a few upgrades it was mass produced from 1942. But a company called Workhorse plans to redesign and reinvent helicopters right now, introducing SureFly, a personal helicopter that looks more like a drone than a chopper.
SureFly aims to offer safe and easy flight for just about anyone, a VTOL aircraft featuring eight independent motors – each of them with its own carbon fiber propeller. A gasoline piston engine drives dual generators which power up the prop motors, but a backup battery power system and a ballistic parachute are also there in a case of emergency.
This modern helicopter will most likely revolutionize personal air transportation, making standard helicopters obsolete and probably less fun to pilot than this.
Workhorse designed the SureFly to carry a pilot and passenger, or a pilot and cargo. The compact flying machine was built by tech experts that have been already involved in the development of carbon fiber drones or electric battery powered vehicles. Its hybrid design will fly as fast as 70 mph, albeit for just a while, but a one hour flight time per tank and heights of up to 4,000 feet should be enough to provide you with the proper thrills.
Let’s not forget about the fact that the four carbon fiber arms fold down, allowing this personal helicopter to comfortably rest inside your garage. I’m not sure what kind of flying certifications you might need before you could legally fly this thing, but it’s surely going to be a fun experience.
