Lift Aircraft's passenger drone is all about fun flights

While the likes of Uber, Airbus and Porsche tinker away on their respective passenger and transportation drones, a lesser-known startup is taking an altogether different approach. Instead of getting mired in the logistics and regulatory frameworks of city-wide drone rides, Lift Aircraft wants you to use its 18-rotor "Hexa" aircraft for short recreational flights. The large drone -- which weighs 432 pounds and is capable of 10-15 minutes of continuous flight with a single passenger -- could be available to the public as early as next year. Lift is promising flight experiences at hubs located in "scenic, uncongested areas" in 25 cities across the US. Because the Hexa doesn't count as a "real" aircraft (it's a "powered ultralight") it doesn't require a pilot's license.