NPR

Wish You Could Soar? A $2 Million Contest Aims For Personal Flying Device

A group of aviation companies and advocacy groups, backed by Boeing, have announced a competition to develop a safe and easy-to-use personal flying vehicle in the next two years.
JetPack Man flies through the air at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on Nov. 6, 2011, in Fort Worth. Backers of a new $2 million competition hope to encourage the development of personal flying vehicles.

Since the first caveman spotted the first bird, our species has dreamed of flight. We've managed it, too. Although for most purposes, it requires several thousand pounds of aluminum and some high-octane aviation fuel.

That may change soon, though: A group of aviation companies and advocacy groups, backed by aerospace behemoth Boeing, have announced a $2 million competition to develop a safe and easy-to-use personal flying

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