By Teo Kermeliotis, for CNN
It's happened to all of us. You wake up, have a bite, sip your coffee and then, full of energy and renewed optimism, you set off convinced that today will finally be your most productive day ever. And then commuting happens. Delayed trains, crammed buses, gridlock traffic -- they're all there to drain out your energy and hold you back from that promotion you feel you righteously deserve.
But what if you could avoid crowded streets and ill-tempered drivers once and for all by simply taking to the skies in less than 60 seconds?
That's the proposal put forward by Eduardo Galvani, a Brazilian visual artist and creator of the Fly Citycopter, an urban aerial vehicle concept designed to help commuters whizz around easier and in a more green way. Galvani's futuristic vision calls for a superlight personal helicopter that would be able to take off, fly and land while in autopilot mode. Made from carbon, aluminum and titanium, the Citycopter would use a combination of fans and electricity-powered motors to fly two people at a maximum speed of 130 miles per hour. In addition, solar cells embedded on the aircraft's exterior would allow it to generate energy during the flight and help it reduce urban pollution.
True, there are still many practical issues that need to be resolved before we can fly our commuting blues away. Yet, Galvani says, he hopes his concept would inspire creative people to come together and develop cleaner -- and more exciting -- ways of urban transportation.
It's happened to all of us. You wake up, have a bite, sip your coffee and then, full of energy and renewed optimism, you set off convinced that today will finally be your most productive day ever. And then commuting happens. Delayed trains, crammed buses, gridlock traffic -- they're all there to drain out your energy and hold you back from that promotion you feel you righteously deserve.
But what if you could avoid crowded streets and ill-tempered drivers once and for all by simply taking to the skies in less than 60 seconds?
That's the proposal put forward by Eduardo Galvani, a Brazilian visual artist and creator of the Fly Citycopter, an urban aerial vehicle concept designed to help commuters whizz around easier and in a more green way. Galvani's futuristic vision calls for a superlight personal helicopter that would be able to take off, fly and land while in autopilot mode. Made from carbon, aluminum and titanium, the Citycopter would use a combination of fans and electricity-powered motors to fly two people at a maximum speed of 130 miles per hour. In addition, solar cells embedded on the aircraft's exterior would allow it to generate energy during the flight and help it reduce urban pollution.
True, there are still many practical issues that need to be resolved before we can fly our commuting blues away. Yet, Galvani says, he hopes his concept would inspire creative people to come together and develop cleaner -- and more exciting -- ways of urban transportation.
The interior
The Citycopter is equipped with cyclic joysticks and touch screen digital panels featuring all the necessary flight Instruments, including an altimeter, compass and airspeed indicator among others.
"Showing all the instruments at only one screen is a choice which represents a significant change in the way we understand and control the flight experience," says Galvani.
He adds that auto-pilot systems and obstacle detectors would make its navigation easier and safer.
The Citycopter is equipped with cyclic joysticks and touch screen digital panels featuring all the necessary flight Instruments, including an altimeter, compass and airspeed indicator among others.
"Showing all the instruments at only one screen is a choice which represents a significant change in the way we understand and control the flight experience," says Galvani.
He adds that auto-pilot systems and obstacle detectors would make its navigation easier and safer.
Green focus
The Fly Citycopter is designed to solve the problem of space in city streets and help reduce pollution in urban areas. Its main building materials would be carbon fiber, aluminum and titanium.
Fans powered by electric engines would provide propulsion, while part of the aircraft's careen would be coated with solar cells to help it generate energy while airborne.
The Fly Citycopter is designed to solve the problem of space in city streets and help reduce pollution in urban areas. Its main building materials would be carbon fiber, aluminum and titanium.
Fans powered by electric engines would provide propulsion, while part of the aircraft's careen would be coated with solar cells to help it generate energy while airborne.
Aircraft specifications
Galvani says the urban aerial vehicle could be ready for take-off in just 60 seconds.
He reckons that the Citycopter would weigh 1,100 kilos and measure 4.36 by 7.63 by 5.49 meters. Its maximum speed could be as fast as 130 miles per hour, while its maximum altitude would be 12,000 feet.
Galvani says the urban aerial vehicle could be ready for take-off in just 60 seconds.
He reckons that the Citycopter would weigh 1,100 kilos and measure 4.36 by 7.63 by 5.49 meters. Its maximum speed could be as fast as 130 miles per hour, while its maximum altitude would be 12,000 feet.
The inspiration
Galvani says he came up with the design in a bid to deal with "the chaotic traffic of the major urban cities" and was motivated by the "constant ecological appeals" against the global warming crisis.
"The design is very authentic, but the rounded shapes were based on some references recalled from my imaginary, as sci-fi aerial vehicles and real classical cars," he says.
"The name was inspired by the fly insect, because of its shape and as an analogy to its relative size and versatility on flying."
Galvani says he came up with the design in a bid to deal with "the chaotic traffic of the major urban cities" and was motivated by the "constant ecological appeals" against the global warming crisis.
"The design is very authentic, but the rounded shapes were based on some references recalled from my imaginary, as sci-fi aerial vehicles and real classical cars," he says.
"The name was inspired by the fly insect, because of its shape and as an analogy to its relative size and versatility on flying."
The man behind the concept
Born in 1978 in Florianopolis, Brazil, Galvani is a visual artist with a big interest in sci-fi, technology and futurism.
He first started thinking about the Fly Citycopter during an anthropology of science class last year and soon started working on it, spending 20 hours per week for three months.
For now, Galvani says, this is still simply a concept but he hopes that his work would act as an inspiration for creative people and scientists to develop cleaner ways of transportation.
Born in 1978 in Florianopolis, Brazil, Galvani is a visual artist with a big interest in sci-fi, technology and futurism.
He first started thinking about the Fly Citycopter during an anthropology of science class last year and soon started working on it, spending 20 hours per week for three months.
For now, Galvani says, this is still simply a concept but he hopes that his work would act as an inspiration for creative people and scientists to develop cleaner ways of transportation.
