Here's what I learned about designing and building personal air vehicles: don't.
Though fun while it lasts. Two cases in point from the above illustration, where the original visions of Malloy Aeronautics and SiFly appear, and what became of them.
Electrical VTOLs for people, absent a small fortune on development, are dangerous, highly regulated, costly and set for a limited market.
They are also great fun and promise to fulfil practical applications for the sort of people with the cash reserves to buy a top-of-the-range supercar.
Drones in comparison are generally safe, lightly regulated, inexpensive and address a sizeable and compounding market.
Fitted with a seat in certain spheres ~ especially water ~ or piloted using FPV, they are as entertaining for those living life on-screen as anything in the physical realm.
Anyone intent on following the money (which I never really have), would therefore be well advised to set their patent documents aside and build what most of us want, as Chris Malloy and Brian Hinman have done.
For it doesn't have to be as depressing as it sounds.
