EV Toll and Personal Flying Machines: Jetpacks, Flying Cars, and the Road to Our Skies

Overview

This video surveys the landscape of electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles, or EVOL, and the broader goal of personal air mobility. It explains how EVOLs are built from scaled up drones and what features enable safe operation, including autonomous flight, obstacle avoidance, and geo fencing. It also contrasts amateur DIY approaches with company led programs and discusses why mass adoption remains challenging.

Readers will learn about the different power sources, the regulatory environment, and the costs involved, including the example of jetson style machines and sky taxi concepts. The piece concludes with a realistic sense of timing for when individuals might start owning and operating flying machines and why jet packs could begin to take off sooner than flying cars.

Introduction: EVOL and the Dream of Personal Flight

The video centers on electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, EVOLs, a class that includes multi rotor vehicles powered by batteries or hydrogen. EVOLs are essentially scaled up drones designed to carry one or more people. The rise of drone tech and associated safety enhancements such as obstacle avoidance, stabilization, and FPV racing culture has accelerated exploration into civilian flying machines. The DIY drone community, aided by cheap 3D printing and CNC tooling, has democratized the ability to design, build, and test personal flight devices in garages and sheds.

DIY Roots and Early Prototypes

Amateur builders and hobbyists have produced hoverboards, jet packs, and small flying cars. A prominent example is Skysurfer Aircraft Inc, whose rotor powered flying skateboard has claimed flight times around 20 minutes, speeds near 40 mph, and a payload capacity of roughly 500 pounds. Other small scale ventures such as Omni hoverboards and Ascend Dynamics offer similar backpack rotor concepts or jet pack inspirations. These projects highlight how conventional engineering skills, mechanical design, and accessible manufacturing tooling can bring personal flight closer to reality even before mass market commercialization.

Vehicle Classes and Notable Players

The video distinguishes between ultra light single person devices and larger multi person aircraft. Ultra light options such as gravity jet packs and air bikes lean on jet propulsion or multi rotor designs rather than traditional helicopter engines. In contrast, small to mid size air vehicles like the Jetson style eight rotor craft represent a more direct analogue to a scaled up drone. In the four person and more capable category, companies are pursuing air taxi style operations with modern certification paths. The video highlights a few examples including rotor based light aircraft and the concept of a roadable flying car with a mesh cabin that allows vertical takeoff and transition to road travel. It also looks at hydrogen and battery powered options, as well as the more distant and ambitious taxi style programs that could become a new urban mobility solution.

Power Sources: Batteries Versus Hydrogen

A central theme is the trade off between battery powered EVOLs and hydrogen powered variants. Batteries offer easier mass adoption because they leverage existing charging infrastructure and the automotive supply chain, while hydrogen promises greater energy density and longer range. Battery improvements such as higher energy density packs and sodium based chemistries are under active development and could extend ranges beyond the current 20 to 30 minute typical flight times. Hydrogen, while offering long range advantages, introduces safety, sourcing, and regulatory complexities and may require onboard backup systems to mitigate risk of a single failure.

Safety, Autonomy, and Onboard Technology

EVOLs benefit from safety features common to consumer drones, including automated returns home, proximity sensors, and geo fencing. Multi rotor designs improve redundancy so that the failure of one rotor does not immediately end flight. Autonomy levels vary across designs, with some devices offering limited control and others promising full autonomy. The comparison to helicopters emphasizes that fuselage and propulsion differences, as well as regulatory requirements, shape how these vehicles integrate into shared air space.

Regulatory Landscape and Commercial Roadmap

The regulatory framework for large scale air taxis remains a major hurdle. The video notes that the FAA and international aviation regulators are developing multi stage testing and certification processes. Hydrogen powered aircraft, battery systems, and hybrid approaches each face distinct regulatory considerations. While smaller ultra light units may skirt some certification requirements, larger urban air mobility solutions will require extensive safety verification and traffic management systems before they can be offered commercially.

Economics and Accessibility

Cost is a recurring theme. The video suggests EVOLs could be cheaper to buy and operate than conventional helicopters, which can cost millions of dollars. Battery charging and maintenance costs are weighed against the promise of lower emissions and potentially lower fuel costs. A standout example is Jetson style rotorcraft which has been publicly demonstrated and marketed for around 150 000 dollars. Hydrogen options add further cost considerations and infrastructure needs but may offer advantages at scale. The overall takeaway is that personal flying machines are not just about technology; they require a supporting ecosystem of training, regulation, and public acceptance to achieve mass adoption.

What Comes Next

In the near term the video argues that jet packs and hoverboards could see earlier adoption by enthusiasts and certain professional contexts, whereas flying cars and urban air taxis may still be several years away due to regulatory and infrastructure constraints. The conclusion emphasizes that the dream of personal air mobility is still on the cards, with significant progress likely in the coming years as technology, safety frameworks, and education around these vehicles mature.