Recently, some questions have been repeatedly asked and some concerns have been raised. This page is the list of these and will be updated regularly.

FAQs

What's that blue car driving around Lancaster/WNY with the white thing on top?

Yes, that's us. The contraption is the prototype. It's up there for the following reasons:

• It's too large to fit inside

• Free marketing and testing

• The body is made from a material that has a relatively low softening temp. During the warmer months, the car's interior can be significant warmer than the outside temp, causing the drone to melt.

Who is working on the project?

Right now, just me, Jacob Miller. I should add that I consult with others on a regular basis and AI plays a heavy role. If you have any tips or want to work together, please feel free to reach out. To those assuming it's a school project, it's not, it's a prototype right now with strong commercialization plans.

If you are a machinist who can build parts at a really small scale for the prototyping stage, please reach out.

I'm also seeking investors and potential customers. If you are a small business and would like to offer local delivery, please reach out.

Lastly, reach out if you have access to large plots of land for testing!

When will it fly? Does it work?

Right now, it hasn't flown yet. The engines, EDFs, battery, wings, and control systems need to be finalized. I don't expect it to work at first, it will likely take multiple iterations depending on how you define "work". Financial constraints aside and if I can work on it 10 hours per day, I expect the first flight attempt to take place by the end of August, 2025.

Why not just use quadcopters?

The typical drone is a quadcopter, think consumer DJI drones. These generally use more energy to go the same distance as a fixed wing aircraft (less efficient). The downside is that you can't hover with this style of drone, which is ok for our use cases. The goal is for these to medium and long range routes for as long as possible, making it economically viable for the masses in suburbs and rural areas. To do this, it needs a design suitable for long range trips without ground infrastructure every few miles.

Is this even legal?

Yes, this is legal but heavily regulated for your safety but also because of regulatory capture and excess fear. In most areas we will be able to operate with a part 135 permit, which takes years and hundreds of thousands of dollars to obtain. Once the tech is proven, I plan to work with investors to do what it takes to comply with all federal amd local laws and operate a service that is safe for everyone. At the same time, I support various efforts to streamline regulations.