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Discover the solar-powered helicopter that flies itself

Posted at 11:08 AM, May 29, 2014
and last updated 2014-05-29 11:08:33-04

(CNN) — It’s happened to all of us. You wake up, have a bite, sip your coffee and then, full of energy and renewed optimism, you set off convinced that today will finally be your most productive day ever.

And then commuting happens. Delayed trains, crammed buses, gridlock traffic — they’re all there to drain out your energy and hold you back from that promotion you feel you righteously deserve.

But what if you could avoid crowded streets and ill-tempered drivers once and for all by simply taking to the skies in less than 60 seconds?

That’s the proposal put forward by Eduardo Galvani, a Brazilian visual artist and creator of the Fly Citycopter, an urban aerial vehicle concept designed to help commuters whizz around easier and in a more green way.

Galvani’s futuristic vision calls for a superlight personal helicopter that would be able to take off, fly and land while in autopilot mode. Made from carbon, aluminum and titanium, the Citycopter would use a combination of fans and electricity-powered motors to fly two people at a maximum speed of 130 miles per hour. In addition, solar cells embedded on the aircraft’s exterior would allow it to generate energy during the flight and help it reduce urban pollution.

“For most humans, a personal aerial vehicle is still just like a distant dream,” Galvani, 36, told CNN. “But when you think about this, and mentally join some pieces, you can realize that the actual available materials and technologies can make possible for us to create this new reality, where a personal helicopter can be most efficient, economic, safer and easy to pilot than a common helicopter, and a smart way of transportation.”

True, there are still many practical issues that need to be resolved before we can fly our commuting blues away. Yet, Galvani says, he hopes his concept would inspire creative people to come together and develop cleaner — and more exciting — ways of urban transportation.

Click on the points on the image above to find out more about the Fly Citycopter.

(Top image courtesy of Eduardo Galvani).