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Take to the skies in 2019 (hopefully) with Opener's BlackFly

It's electric, it's claimed to be autonomous, and it could land in your open field as early as 2019.

Andrew Krok
Cars are Andrew's jam, as is strawberry. After spending years as a regular ol' car fanatic, he started working his way through the echelons of the automotive industry, starting out as social-media director of a small European-focused garage outside of Chicago. From there, he moved to the editorial side, penning several written features in Total 911 Magazine before becoming a full-time auto writer, first for a local Chicago outlet and then for CNET Cars.
Andrew Krok
Opener BlackFly
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Opener is a startup that hopes to have its first product on sale next year.   

Opener BlackFly
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Opener's first craft, called BlackFly, is pretty standard from a personal-air-transport standpoint.    

Opener BlackFly
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It will be capable of vertical takeoffs and landings, operating entirely on electricity from a battery that can be recharged like an electric car.     

Opener BlackFly
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The FAA classifies the BlackFly as an ultralight, which means users won't need a pilot's license to operate it.   

Opener BlackFly
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As an ultralight, it will only be permitted to fly over uncongested terrain.

Opener BlackFly
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And with a max range of 25 miles at a max speed of 62 miles per hour in the US, it won't be much faster than a car across the same distance, if at all.     

Opener BlackFly
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According to Opener's site, once BlackFly is on the ground, two small carts are required to move the craft around.     

Opener BlackFly
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It will accommodate just a single passenger up to 6.5 feet tall and 250 pounds.    

Opener BlackFly
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Eventually, Opener hopes that it can make personal VTOL craft that will be as affordable as a passenger car.     

Opener BlackFly
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It has the backing of Google co-founder Larry Page.     

Opener BlackFly
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While it's unclear how much investment Page has put into Opener, the company's FAQ page claims it's a "well-funded" startup that "will not be seeing new investors for the foreseeable future."

Opener BlackFly
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If you've always wanted to take to the skies without the pain of earning a pilot's license, BlackFly will be one way to do it.

Opener BlackFly
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Just make sure you have the space required to operate it.

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