'BlackFly' Is A Single-Seat Aircraft That Requires No Pilot's License To Fly, Company Says

Opener, Inc., a developer of aero vehicles for consumer travel, has introduced BlackFly; which the company says is the world’s first ultralight all-electric fixed-wing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft. BlackFly is a single-seat Personal Aerial Vehicle (PAV) designed and built for a new world of three-dimensional transportation. BlackFly is simple to master and requires no formal licensing (in the U.S.) or special skills to operate safely. Though BlackFly has full amphibious capabilities, it is primarily designed to easily operate from small grassy areas and travel distances of up to 25 miles at a speed of 53 knots (U.S. restriction).

“Opener is re-energizing the art of flight with a safe and affordable flying vehicle that can free its operators from the everyday restrictions of ground transportation,” said Marcus Leng, CEO. “We will offer competitive pricing in an endeavor to democratize three-dimensional personal transportation. Safety has been our primary driving goal in the development of this new technology. Opener will be introducing this innovation in a controlled and responsible manner. Even though not required by FAA regulations, BlackFly operators will be required to successfully complete the FAA Private Pilot written examination and also complete company-mandated vehicle familiarization and operator training.”

The Opener team has spent the last nine years in stealth mode, designing, developing, and testing new innovative technologies which have now evolved into the zero-emission BlackFly vehicles. Fault-tolerant design and triple modular redundancy reside at the core of these vehicles. Eight propulsion systems, spread across two wings, provide for multiple-failure security. Years of continuous testing, combined with 1,000+ flights and 10,000+ miles flown, form the bedrock of Opener’s development program.

Opener’s long-term vision is to integrate these highly-efficient vehicles into a rural/urban commuting network. These networks would be powered by renewable energy sources requiring only a fraction of the transportation energy used currently.

“The future of Aviation begins today,” said Alan Eustace, Director at Opener and former Senior Vice President of Knowledge at Google. “The dream of flight, which was so difficult and expensive to obtain, will soon be within the reach of millions. Opener is putting the fun back into flying and opening up a new world of possibilities.”

"I just saw the future. Watching BlackFly take flight just blew me away. I've never seen anything like it,” said Darren Pleasance, EAA Board of Directors. "The magnitude of innovation that Opener has been driving in electric motors, aerodynamics, and VTOL operations is stunning and inspiring. Opener has made a huge step forward in bringing the Jetson's world to life."

Opener vehicles will be on display at AirVenture. The public is invited to view the vehicles in the Innovation Showcase, and visitors can also experience three-dimensional flight by operating the vehicles in a virtual reality simulation.

(Image provide with Opener news release)

FMI: opener.aero