Wait, Did Someone Say Personal Helicopter? Yeah, Right – Here's Another Flying Car…

Whichever way I turn these days, there is something about flying cars. I kid you not - it looks like every self-respecting startup and their neighbor's dog think they’ve cracked the code to flying cars. They make big promises: futuristic gadgets, self-driving capabilities, and your commute becoming a sci-fi movie, all for the bargain price of, y’know, your whole bank account.

Now, let me just rain on this parade for a second: I've seen more convincing flying car prototypes in old sci-fi cartoons. It's gotten so bad that "flying car" basically means "empty promises" these days. But hey, I suppose we should give these dreamers a chance. Here's a new kid on the block with a newfangled take – meet the FlyNow eCopter!

The FlyNow crew from Austria thinks the world's forgotten how fun flying used to be, way before airlines decided cramming passengers like sardines was the profitable way to go. These guys aren't trying to be fancy. No self-driving tech, no AI pilots, heck, not even some goofy-looking wings with quadcopter propellers like everyone else.

Instead, they’re building… wait for it… a good old-fashioned helicopter. Okay, yeah, an electric one with counter-rotating propellers – fancy name, same idea. Here's the twist, though: the eCopter doesn't want your pilot's license. They call it a PAV – a "Personal Air Vehicle" – which apparently means it flies itself on pre-set routes. Kinda like, uh, an oversized subway train… in the air. Exciting, I know.

So, where’s the catch? Well, this is where things get a tad murky. FlyNow swears that because their design's basically a flying eggbeater, they can ditch all the bells and whistles that typically break in this type of stuff. That means fewer malfunctions, cheaper production, and, get this, flight costs comparable to a cab ride on the ground. Oh, and one more thing, they’ll do all this while revolutionizing air travel itself.

Look, I admire the enthusiasm here. Simplifying these flying contraptions might be the way to go – heck, it worked for that Henry Ford guy and his Model T. But FlyNow wants to be everything at once: cheaper, more reliable, safer, and able to fix the world's transportation problems. It'd be amazing if they pulled it off, but something's gotta give, right?

For now, here's what they're peddling: the eCopter whisks you off at around 81 mph (130 kph) for a measly 31 miles (50 km) and no flying higher than 984 feet, or 300 meters if you’re so inclined. This means your thrilling air commute clocks in at about… oh, 30 minutes tops. After that, you'll be staring at a charger as this thing juices up. You also better watch your diet if you want to fly solo, cause weight limits are tight – 463 lbs (210 kg) payload for the single-seat version is ok, but the two-seat option has the same limit. That translates to two very skinny individuals - and don't try bringing any heavy luggage. So it’s either the Mrs or the groceries. Oh, and all this "affordable" flying? Let's just say there might be a reason taxi drivers don't have choppers parked in their driveways.

Okay, enough sarcasm. It's refreshing to see something more down-to-earth among self-flying, air-hogging, sci-fi pipe dreams. They say their team's a bunch of experienced engineers and business types, and the idea of simpler construction certainly has its merits. And I agree, heck - if I could get my own electric helicopter for less than it costs to buy a car, I’d be first in line. I’d probably even pitch a tent up right outside the FlyNow’s office to make sure nobody can get ahead of me.

So, I'm not ready to declare the eCopter a dead duck. There’s just no working prototype yet, which in "startup language" translates to "years away from anything real”. If, and that's a big 'if', FlyNow gets the eCopter off the ground and can do it cheaply, well, color me impressed. Until then, my expectations are lower than the eCopter's advertised flight ceiling. That’s probably safer.