Civilian Applications

The love of flying is almost primal.  Imagine having the ability to experience personal flight, without all the barriers to current flight.  Private flying today is an expensive hobby.  Insurance, limited hanger space, shortage of available craft, ageing and diminishing pool of available aircraft, cost of pilot training and licensing, cost of craft certification, maintenance, etc.  The majority of private pilots own or rent the 320,000 active US civil aircraft.  Few of these can afford the high purchase and operating costs of a helicopter.  Ultra lights and experimental aircraft currently fill part of that need, but require more patience and knowledge than the majority of potential flyers wish to invest.  While many people drive cars, few build their own vehicles.  The Dragonfly and Springtail remove many of those obstacles and open the experience to the multitudes.

Commuting

A recent Texas Transportation Institute study released by Texas A & M found that the average San Francisco Bay Area rush hour driver wasted 60-68 hours sitting in traffic in 2001. Throughout the United States heavy traffic periods have extended to more roads and times of day, resulting in extra travel time. This currently costs U.S. drivers 69.5 billion dollars in wasted time and fuel. While Springtail won’t replace all land-based travel, it can help relieve some of the congestion. Many science fiction movies have shown unique methods of personal air transportation, from multi-layered air traffic to personal transport.

Tourism

As the population grows, people wanting to visit natural places of interest will also grow. Places like the Grand Canyon and Yosemite are already difficult to visit without advanced planning and are resorting to buses to transport tourists. Some areas are simply inaccessible by large numbers of people. Building better access isn’t an option as it often takes away from the very attraction people are trying to visit.

The Dragonfly would allow tourists to visit these attractions without having to build roads to them. People will be able to visit and view remote and ecologically sensitive areas without ever putting “foot” in them.

Park rangers could monitor these areas more effectively, without walking, driving, or boating through unspoiled areas. They will be able to get a great aerial view, and when necessary takeoff and land in a small open areas without significantly disturbing them.

Crop and Livestock Management

Dragonfly will be a cost-effective tool enabling smaller farmers and ranchers to get a birds-eye view of their acreage.  From that aerial perspective, farmers could better control erosion, locate livestock, herd livestock, or help rescue lost animals.  They could also help determine what fields should be harvested next; identify the degree of insect infestation, or gain access to remote plantations currently only accessible to pack animals or foot traffic.