A staple of many science fiction series (especially Star Wars) is the idea that flying vehicles are as commonplace as automobiles are currently in actuality, and the idea is understandable, since the advantages of flying vehicles over terrestrial (ground-based) vehicles are numerous and significant. Flying vehicles can move in three dimensions, rather than only two, so they can ignore roads or uneven terrain and fly in a straight line directly to their destination, which shall greatly reduce travel time, and their ability to move in three dimensions makes it easy to go around other vehicles that may be blocking their path, which cannot be done with terrestrial vehicles. Plus, there is far less resistance in the air than there is on the ground, so that shall further increase travel speed and decrease travel time while (hopefully0 using less fuel.
Currently, flying vehicles are much rarer than terrestrial vehicles, because they are far more expensive to own, operate, and maintain, but I am certain that that situation shall change, eventually, as technology advances. In the early years of the twentieth century, automobiles were a rare luxury that only the very wealthy could afford, but they now are ubiquitous, so I am certain that the same shall happen with flying vehicles, as well. A major problem is how to power such vehicles, but I believe that if nuclear fusion is ever successfully harnessed (which may happen much sooner than some people may believe, as Lockheed Martin has been developing a compact fusion reactor that supposedly actually works), that shall be a major step in making flying vehicles less expensive and more common.
Also, I believe that it would better if everyday flying vehicles were helicopters, rather than airplanes, since airplanes require runways to take off and land, while helicopters are capable of vertical takeoff and landing and can also hover.
What does everyone else say about this? Do you believe that personalized flying vehicles shall ever be commonplace, and how long may it take for that to happen?
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“Those who would trade their freedoms for security will have neither.”-Benjamin Franklin
“When the people fear the government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”-Thomas Jefferson
“A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of its user.”-Theodore Roosevelt
“Patriotism means to stand by one's country; it does not mean to stand by one's president.”-Theodore Roosevelt
Not until we find a way to make algorithms advanced enough that they basically fly the things for us. Flying stuff, especially helicopters, is ******* hard.
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We have laboured long to build a heaven, only to find it populated with horrors.
Not until we find a way to make algorithms advanced enough that they basically fly the things for us. Flying stuff, especially helicopters, is ******* hard.
Yes, but would it not be reasonable to have pilot's education for everyone, just as there currently is driver's education?
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“Those who would trade their freedoms for security will have neither.”-Benjamin Franklin
“When the people fear the government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”-Thomas Jefferson
“A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of its user.”-Theodore Roosevelt
“Patriotism means to stand by one's country; it does not mean to stand by one's president.”-Theodore Roosevelt
I don't think the pilot skill concern would hold up. Autopilot systems have existed on commercial airlines a long time, and TCAS (the collision avoidance systems) are already quite good. These will be ready soon.
The main issue is fuel. The world's petrol supplies simply can't support hundreds of millions or billions of flying vehicles. New fuel technology would be required (batteries don't work with current technology as adding more power to the battery adds more weight and thus you need even more power; you need a lightweight power source like petrol).
The second issue of concern is maintenance. A minor fault in a car usually manifests in it not starting, or if you are driving, in a dangerous but manageable situation. Even a serious mechanical fault while driving (tyre blowout, brake failure) is usually able to be handled safely even if the driver is shaken up badly. A minor fault while airborne is much more dangerous. There's a reason that small helicopters cost over $50 in maintenance per hour they are flown.
Sure, you can preach about air-collision-detection and all that, but that handles dozens, maybe hundreds of flights at a time. Imagine it trying to regulate tens or hundreds of thousands of personal vehicles. People would likely jailbreak their vehicles, as well, modding them outside of the specs of safe flying criteria, and there's really no feasible way to enforce air traffic on such a huge scale. There's no way cities would approve funding for such a large police force/air vehicle infrastructure budget increase.
It's just not feasible within the next few centuries without a complete overhaul of our current infrastructure, let alone the fact that it doesn't take into account fuel, propulsion systems, etc.
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Not until we find a way to make algorithms advanced enough that they basically fly the things for us. Flying stuff, especially helicopters, is ******* hard.
Yes, but would it not be reasonable to have pilot's education for everyone, just as there currently is driver's education?
Pilot education is expensive. Locally, it's 8x to 10x more than the tuition free for med school.
That's not a joke. Most of this cost is fuel, insurance, and maintaining aircraft.
There's also the matter of space required for the aircraft -- even something like a chopper needs a lot of space to land and store.
maybe technology will alleviate some of the problems -- fuel so cheap that you can use allowance money to gas up your flying car, and engines so small and thrust so small that you don't need a dedicated landing/takeoff site.
But that level of tech is pretty much sci fi. I forsee humans developing fusion well before flying cars.
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"Sometimes, the situation is outracing a threat, sometimes it's ignoring it, and sometimes it involves sideboarding in 4x Hope//Pray." --Doug Linn
Despite the best efforts of everybody, accidents will happen. Until we have technology which can reliably force an air vehicle to slow down like a land vehicle naturally do when it malfunctions instead of dropping like a rock and gaining speed and energy, mass personalized air vehicles is a dream.
Massive car collision accidents can kill dozens of people. Massive air car collision accidents will levels entire city blocks.
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Currently, flying vehicles are much rarer than terrestrial vehicles, because they are far more expensive to own, operate, and maintain, but I am certain that that situation shall change, eventually, as technology advances. In the early years of the twentieth century, automobiles were a rare luxury that only the very wealthy could afford, but they now are ubiquitous, so I am certain that the same shall happen with flying vehicles, as well. A major problem is how to power such vehicles, but I believe that if nuclear fusion is ever successfully harnessed (which may happen much sooner than some people may believe, as Lockheed Martin has been developing a compact fusion reactor that supposedly actually works), that shall be a major step in making flying vehicles less expensive and more common.
Also, I believe that it would better if everyday flying vehicles were helicopters, rather than airplanes, since airplanes require runways to take off and land, while helicopters are capable of vertical takeoff and landing and can also hover.
What does everyone else say about this? Do you believe that personalized flying vehicles shall ever be commonplace, and how long may it take for that to happen?
“When the people fear the government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”-Thomas Jefferson
“A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of its user.”-Theodore Roosevelt
“Patriotism means to stand by one's country; it does not mean to stand by one's president.”-Theodore Roosevelt
Yes, but would it not be reasonable to have pilot's education for everyone, just as there currently is driver's education?
“When the people fear the government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”-Thomas Jefferson
“A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of its user.”-Theodore Roosevelt
“Patriotism means to stand by one's country; it does not mean to stand by one's president.”-Theodore Roosevelt
The main issue is fuel. The world's petrol supplies simply can't support hundreds of millions or billions of flying vehicles. New fuel technology would be required (batteries don't work with current technology as adding more power to the battery adds more weight and thus you need even more power; you need a lightweight power source like petrol).
The second issue of concern is maintenance. A minor fault in a car usually manifests in it not starting, or if you are driving, in a dangerous but manageable situation. Even a serious mechanical fault while driving (tyre blowout, brake failure) is usually able to be handled safely even if the driver is shaken up badly. A minor fault while airborne is much more dangerous. There's a reason that small helicopters cost over $50 in maintenance per hour they are flown.
Why do you doubt it?
“When the people fear the government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”-Thomas Jefferson
“A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of its user.”-Theodore Roosevelt
“Patriotism means to stand by one's country; it does not mean to stand by one's president.”-Theodore Roosevelt
Sure, you can preach about air-collision-detection and all that, but that handles dozens, maybe hundreds of flights at a time. Imagine it trying to regulate tens or hundreds of thousands of personal vehicles. People would likely jailbreak their vehicles, as well, modding them outside of the specs of safe flying criteria, and there's really no feasible way to enforce air traffic on such a huge scale. There's no way cities would approve funding for such a large police force/air vehicle infrastructure budget increase.
It's just not feasible within the next few centuries without a complete overhaul of our current infrastructure, let alone the fact that it doesn't take into account fuel, propulsion systems, etc.
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2012: Best (False?) Role Claim - Worst Town Performance (Group) - Best Mafia Performance (Group) - Best SK Performance - Best Overall Player
2013: Best Non-SK Neutral Performance
2014: Best Town Performance (Individual) - Best Town Performance (Group) - Most Interesting Role - Best Game - Best Overall Player
2015: Worst Mafia Performance (Group) - Best Read
2016: Best Town Performance (Group) - Best Town Player - Best Overall Player
Pilot education is expensive. Locally, it's 8x to 10x more than the tuition free for med school.
That's not a joke. Most of this cost is fuel, insurance, and maintaining aircraft.
There's also the matter of space required for the aircraft -- even something like a chopper needs a lot of space to land and store.
maybe technology will alleviate some of the problems -- fuel so cheap that you can use allowance money to gas up your flying car, and engines so small and thrust so small that you don't need a dedicated landing/takeoff site.
But that level of tech is pretty much sci fi. I forsee humans developing fusion well before flying cars.
"Sometimes, the situation is outracing a threat, sometimes it's ignoring it, and sometimes it involves sideboarding in 4x Hope//Pray." --Doug Linn
Massive car collision accidents can kill dozens of people. Massive air car collision accidents will levels entire city blocks.