Well, to be fair, any FAA certified aircraft where you don't pay attention to the minimal obstacle clearance, and fly it into a building, will probably result in a crash.

The SkyRunner (in the video) is an S-LSA (light sport aircraft) and doesn't really go through FAA certification like a "standard" small aircraft does. It is sort of halfway between an ultralight and a certified aircraft, and as such has some restrictions on when/where/how far/how fast it can fly. It does require a light sport pilots license to legally fly.

I think this would be a hoot to own/fly, but not for the $160,000 it costs.

I'm surprised that the exemption doesn't seem to require any rate of climb but maybe I missed it or it's buried in related regs.

I could be wrong in this, but there is no regulated required minimal rate of climb, only that the rate of climb be published in the operating manual and the pilot understand it, and consider it in takeoff based on weight/conditions/etc.

Maybe @p1l0t knows or could confirm.

When was the last time you shared the road with a layman and said to yourself, "man, this guy can really drive."?

For instrument flight procedures there is a standard minimum (unless otherwise specified) but there is no specific minimum rate for aircraft or visual flying as far as I know. (That said you should be familiar with the required performance to clear obstacles and any Obstacle Departure Procedures ODP before you depart or land for that matter since you have to depart later at an airport).

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That was no layman..

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A guy flying a paraglider in a grass field is probably just flying by the seat of his pants though... Which can be done right but you have to have the situational awareness and spatial intelligence to be able to determine whether you are making progress on the terrain around you as well as knowing your odds and your outs.. but again this is Joe Shmoe I got $5k and a flying toy watch this..

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In the case of this video this was Joe Shmoe with a $150K flying toy bu same logic applies.

I honestly don't think I've ever said that on a public road.

Does he know you can buy a real airplane for that? (Small one but certified..)

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You can get one for well under that if you aren't buying factory fresh.

$150,000 is pretty much the standard starting price for a new sportsplane. Most certified aircraft start north of $200,000 when new.

I'll take a 10yr old certified normal airplane any day of the week.

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do you put your gps within the view of the windshield?

i figured that out many years ago-- sticking my gps above the dash where it was easy to see, i couldn't trace back to anything even 1 town over. at the new job since then, i mount my phone/gps down below the dash so i reference it only when needed, and i'm back to being able to not entirely rely on it for directions. though because of inconsistent traffic patterns, i am still using the gps to confirm fastest routes.

i'm not convinced that we'll see full autonomous vehicles within my lifespan, just simply due to the legal hurdles. in fact, many automakers within the last year have significantly backpedaled on the 'full autonomy future' claim after learning how unpredictable humans are, and how difficult it is to design systems to predict and deal with us stupid humans.

what of the current landscape convinces you otherwise?

Ok, now them's fightin' words.