SureFly's hybrid electric octocopter drone achieves first manned flight

The hybrid two-seat helicopter SureFly from the electric truck company Workhorse made it off the ground this week.

While a few feet of hover might seem insignificant, the passenger drone startup is hailing the untethered lift-off with a pilot outside of Cincinnati, Ohio, as a huge success. For the hybrid gas- and battery-powered vertical take-off and landing vehicle (known as VTOL), this means the copter is on its way to flying with passengers inside. Once airborne, the craft will have a 75-mile range.

"People want to have something in their garage to take out and fly," SureFly CEO Steve Burns said in a call Friday afternoon. "We're trying to make it safer than driving your car to the same destination." Read more...