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Comment by jvanderbot | Hacker News Reader

Someday, helicopters will operate like video games, due to complete flight software stabilization and abstraction of the horrifically complicated control surfaces. This is already starting. But uptake is slow[1]

At that time, we can revisit jetpacks and use onboard software to completely abstract the horrifically complicated control problem.

1. https://aviation.stackexchange.com/questions/23977/why-arent...

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There are at least a couple of rotary wing UAVs like the K-Max and Fire Scout that are just retrofitted conventional airframes. So in a way it's almost like the technology skipped manned flight and was put directly into unmanned aircraft first. Perhaps we'll see some of it trickle back down as it becomes a more proven technology.

Personally I think the form that "jet packs" will eventually take is just an electric multicopter that you strap into somehow.

I agree and it's pretty incredible, but I think to enable popularization of it as personal transport you'd need to abstract the pilot away entirely. Automate the whole journey, from a system that's aware of all other journeys. That still can't account for all dangers, but at least people wouldn't be flying into each other at 100mph

At 25k USD for the cheapest helicoper blade, I don't see them getting more popular even if they become trivial to fly.

Tiny jet turbines are expensive too.

Wouldn't mass manufacturing significantly drive these costs down ? Fuel costs however...

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