In the race to build a so-called personal flying machine, few developers have got much past the tethered-hop stage, with promises of one in every garage sometime soon. Generations of hopeful flyers have died waiting. But Israel's Urban Aeronautics at least addresses a key point: A machine like the X-Hawk concept shown here (which the company recently released, saying it's the design they'll build) has less chance of serving your average frustrated commuter's needs than of playing a utility role in commercial and government transport. Projected uses include urban rescue, repair and patrol. The ducted fans mean the machine can safely approach tight areas where helicopters can't go -- for example, as the company's literature ominously notes, up against "a high-rise building in New York City." Urban Aeronautics claims it is fast-tracked to actual flight testing because it will build X-Hawk around already-FAA-approved engines and rotors, and says it has received a patent. If that doesn't fly, there's always the military: The company, with a retired commander of the Israeli Air Force on its board, says it's working on a bigger TurboHawk design. www.urbanaero.com
138 years of Popular Science at your fingertips.
Each issue has been completely reimagined for your iPad. See our amazing new vision for magazines that goes far beyond the printed page
Stay up to date on the latest news of the future of science and technology from your iPhone or Android phone with full articles, images and offline viewing
Featuring every article from the magazine and website, plus links from around the Web. Also see our PopSci DIY feed
Science is reinventing play, from extreme sports to gamification to ridiculous roller coasters to the playgrounds of tomorrow, and this issue is chock full of fun. Also, on a less fun note: Did global warming destroy my hometown?