Boeing Launches $2m Competition To Make Personal Flying Machines Reality

27 September, 2017
Innovation
Man wearing a jetpack

As market-leaders and trailblazers ourselves, it always excites us at ALPHERA Financial Services when we hear of a scheme that will push the boundaries of creativity, technology and innovation. This is exactly the case with the competition launched today, by Boeing and start-up Go-Fly, to find the mass-market personal flying machines of the future.

Teams from around the world are being encouraged to develop designs that can transport a person 20 miles without stopping for fuel or charging, and allow for a vertical or near vertical take-off and landing. The inventions will then feature in a “fly-off” in 2019.

To encourage entrants $2m will be up for grabs with prizes being given out in three stages. Ten initial prizes of $20,000 will be awarded on the basis of written technical specification, stage two will see four lots of $50,000 prizes awarded to the teams with the best prototypes and the final stage will see the team with the best overall idea give $1m. Additionally, this final stage will see $250,000 given out for the quietest entry, $250,000 for the smallest, and $100,000 for the most state-of-the-art design.

Such an ambitious and forward-thinking challenge deserves recognition. It’s ideas such as this that drive innovators to push the boundaries of what is currently possible, and rethink the different modes of transport. 2019 is firmly in our diaries and we’ll be waiting to see what amazing results the competition delivers.

Latest News

Never miss a thing

Stay in touch with all the latest news and updates from ALPHERA and the motor finance industry, delivered direct to you.