So many now-iconic products have origin stories that start in some dude’s garage—the Mac, the Dyson vacuum cleaner, and even google—so it shouldn’t surprise you that the next great airplane is coming to life behind a nondescript hangar door at what could be an airport near you.
With the necessary skill sets to build an aircraft, the brother’s decision to create a radical new design came at a time when 3D printers and CNCs were becoming affordable for hobbyists. The brothers created the DarkAero 1, an ambitious, forward-thinking, carbon-fiber design that they decided would appeal to a larger audience.
The cost of completion also remains a moving target, and a finished DarkAero 1 may top the $200,000 quoted on the website. The estimated completed cost will depend also on what avionics the buyer chooses—along with the sweat equity needed to complete the aircraft. That actually seems like a modest investment, considering this is one aircraft you’d want to come flying out of your garage. Many clients agree: DarkAero has gained more than 200 kit reservations at $1,000 each.