VUE

hat's the point of having a fu- turistic city if we can't get some flying cars? Since the first run- in with traffic, the unused asset above our heads offered pipe dreams of flying past highway log jams and congested intersec- tions towards a brighter future. Although it might not be a flying "car" per se, the in-development Volocopter might be the closest anyone has gotten to it yet. Now a world worthy of a "Jetsons" epi- sode might be in arm's reach. With 18 rotors spaced around its large halo, the copter looks similar to the miniature drones of today. Capable of holding two people, flying with a range of 27 kilometers and reaching speeds of up to 100 kilometers an hour, the Volocopter has the potential to become the most efficient and effective mode of transportation in urban centers. Oh, and its 100 percent electric, making it an envi- ronmentally conscious alter- native that simultaneously cleans up our streets as well as the planet. With no combus- tion engine, the nine batteries powering it do not create any harmful emissions. Even its construction focuses on later impact. Since the Volocopter uses no complex mechani- cal components, any repairs will be cheap and will have far less pollution than to- day's equipment. Considering Volocopter's ambitious goal to become an integral com- ponent of every major city's infrastructure, the front-end work to avoid harming the environment could positive- ly alter the direction of the transportation industry. V U E N J . C O M 135

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