Up Up and Away: The best flying cars from around the world
(Pocket-lint) – The Wright Brothers were the first to successfully produce a flying machine in 1903, but while we now have aeroplanes carrying out hundreds of flights a day, a flying car is still an idea that hasn’t been fully achieved. Or has it? We’ve rounded up a whole selection of flying vehicles that can be used on the road and in the air.
Some are fully functional while others are still in a prototype phase. So let us celebrate these magnificent men and their flying machines.
AeroMobil
AeroMobil 4.0
- Max Speed: 100mph in the air/45mph on the road
- Engine: AeroMobil custom 2.0 l turbo charged 4-cylinder boxer internal combustion engine
- Range: 62 miles
The AeroMobil 3.0, created by Slovakian company AeroMobil, is probably what you would you draw if someone asked you what a flying car looks like. When in car mode, the wings store neatly along the fuselage and open up when you want to take to the skies.
It has what you would consider conventional wheels, that are incredibly light and strong enough to handle landings at airports. The interior isn’t too dissimilar to cars on the road today, with screens that display road information when in car mode, and switch to flight info when you take off. AeroMobil says it should be fully operational by 2020.
Airspeeder/Alauda Aeronautics
Alauda Mk3
- Max Speed: 155 mph
- Engine: 500 Kw battery with 8 electric motors
This isn’t just any flying car, the Alauda Mk3 is a flying race car.
The idea behind this car is to kick start a new sport of full-fledged flying car racing, which sounds incredible. The car is remotely flown in order to keep pilots safe. But the data gathered will give the teams data on the effects of rapid turning, acceleration and deceleration which will be useful in future.
Nirvana Systems
Autogyro GyroDrive
- Max Speed: 112mph in the air/25mph on the road
- Max Altitude:
- Engine: Helicopter-style rotor blades
- Range: 373 miles
The Nirvana Autogyro GyroDrive is the project of 51 year old Czech Pavel Brezina. It’s primarily a mini helicopter, similar to Little Nellie from the James Bond film ‘You Only Live Twice’, but can also be used on the road. Prezina believes his creation is the first road certified flying vehicle and prices start at £63,500 but can rise to in excess of £180,000 depending on specification.
DeLorean Aerospace
DeLorean DR-7
- Max Speed: 300mph in the air
- Engine: Pair of 360-degree thrust-vectoring electric ducted fans
- Range: 120 miles
The DeLorean DR-7 is the brainchild of Paul DeLorean, nephew of John who famously created the iconic DMC-12.
Paul now owns and runs DeLorean Aerospace and the DR-7 is its first project. The DR-7 has completed its proof-of-concept testing and is currently seeking funding to carry out a manned test flight. It’s hoping to be operational from the end of 2018 and if and when it eventually goes on sale, it’s expected to fetch between £250,000-£300,000
Cartivator
Cartivator Skydrive
- Max Speed: 62mph in the air/93mph on the road
- Max Altitude: 10 metres
- Engine: Four rotor blades
The Skydrive project has been made possible after it won a competition in 2014 and since then, has obtained funding from various companies including Toyota.
A full-scale model is in development now with the hope that mass market models will be available by 2030. In 2020 SkyDrive conducted its first public manned flight in Japan, so the future is certainly bright. It’s essentially a large drone that will be able to hover just above public roads to ferry passengers around.
Cartivator has made it its mission to be able to light the Olympic flame at Tokyo 2020 from a Skydrive vehicle.
Lilium
Lilium
- Max Speed: 186mph in the air
- Engine: 36 electric jet engines
- Range: 186 miles
Lilium is the world’s first fully-electric VTOL (vertical take off and landing) vehicle. It can transport up to seven passengers, but rather than you being able to own one, it will be used as an air-taxi where you can pay-per-ride. This also means it won’t actually drive on the road, but instead replace conventional taxis.
Lilium says you will able to use its jet to get from London to Paris in an hour, or Manhattan, New York to JFK Airport is just 5 minutes, instead of a 55 minute taxi ride. Prices are said to be affordable too, with that latter journey costing around £36. The company recently got a cash injection of around £830 million, so we’re expecting to see more about this in the near future.
Lilium expects to have an operational fleet that can be summoned via an app by 2024.
Terrafugia
Terrafugia TF-X
- Max Speed: 200mph
- Engine: Two propellers powered by electric motor pods
- Range: 500 miles
The Terrafugia TF-X will have folding-wing technology that will allow it to transform from car to flying vehicle in under a minute. Better still, you won’t need to head to an airport to take off, as long as you have a clearing of at least 30 metres in diameter, you’ll be good to go. The TF-X will have a complete autopilot mode that will take off, fly and land for you.
All you need to do is set the course. Pricing has yet to be announced, but Terrafugia says it will be inline with high-end luxury cars.
Ehang
Ehang 184
- Max Speed: 62mph in the air
- Max Altitude: 3500 metres
- Engine: Four propellers powered by electric motors
- Range: 25 minute flight time
The Ehang 184 flies in an inverted U-shape, where you set a designated target (it can only fly short and medium distances) and it will go up, across and back down in a vertical line. It’s entirely autonomous, so you won’t need to get involved with the actual flying and if it detects any problems, it will automatically land in the closest and safest area.
Flike
Flike
- Max Speed: 62mph in the air
- Max Altitude: 30 metres
- Engine: Electric/hybrid powertrain
- Range: 60 minutes flight time
Flike is a tricopter that can carry one person with a weight up to 100kgs, Flike says it is capable of unmanned autonomous flight too.
It’s claimed to be very easy to fly as the onboard computer does most of the work, however you will need a microlight pilot’s license in order to fly it. Flike hasn’t put a price on its tricopter yet, but says it will be “comparable to sports cars”
Pal-V
Pal-V Liberty
- Max Speed: 112mph in the air/99mph on the road
- Max Altitude: 3500 metres
- Engine: Wind-powered rotor
- Range: 817 miles on the road/310 miles in the air
The Pal-V Liberty is the same size as your average car, so aims to not look out of place on the roads. It can transform from car to gyroplane at the press of a button, allowing you take off to the skies in no time at all.
Pal-V says if you’re flying and you encounter bad weather, you can land, drive to somewhere safer and take off again. Pal-V hasn’t said when the Liberty will go on sale, but you can order the Pioneer edition (of which only 90 will be made) for EUR499,000. A standard Sport version will be available at a later date for EUR299,000.
Vaylon
Vaylon Pegase
- Max Speed: 50mph
- Max Altitude: 3000 metres
- Engine: Rotax 912 Boxer
- Range: 620 miles
The Pegase is a buggy and paraglider in one built by French company Vaylon. At one moment you can be tearing it along the beaches of Dover and the next you can take to the skies to fly across the Channel.
Pilot Bruno Vezzolli has proven it can be done in 50 minutes.
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Moller International
Moller Skycar 400
- Max Speed: 331mph in the air/30mph on the road
- Max Altitude: 36,000 feet
- Engine: Four thrust-vectoring nacelles with two counter-rotating Rotapower engines per nacelle.
- Range: 805 miles
The Moller Skycar 400 really does look like something out of the future. It’s in an operational prototype stage at the moment, so it may not be long before you see one in the sky.
It’s capable of taking off and landing vertically and has eight engines to allow for any engine failures, which of course there will be hopefully be none. Putting a price on the Skycar 400 is tricky, although one did have a reserve price of £3.5 million at auction. It didn’t sell.
Neva Aviation
Neva Aviation AirQuadOne
- Max Speed: 50mph in the air
- Max Altitude: 3,000 feet
- Engine: Static thrust electric turbofans
- Range: 60 minutes flight time
The AirQuadOne is, as its name suggests, a quad that can fly.
It’s fully electric and has been designed to carry loads up to 100kg while weighing just 500kg itself. The fully electric version will be able to fly up to 30 minutes on a single charge, while a planned hybrid version should extend that to 60 minutes. Neva sees the AirQuadOne being used for transport and security force applications, as well as being able to lift heavy loads without the need for a human pilot.
Kitty Hawk
Kitty Hawk Flyer
- Engine: Eight electronic rotors
- Range: 15 miles
The Kitty Hawk Flyer looks like it will be more of a fun recreational vehicle than car replacement.
It’s currently only designed to fly short lengths over water for health and safety reasons. Kitty Hawk expects to start selling the Flyer by the end of this year and the company has even been backed by Alphabet CEO Larry Page, so it certainly means business. It can only carry one person at a time, but Kitty Hawk is confident you will be able to pick up flying in minutes as you don’t need a pilot’s license.
Aerofex
Aerofex Aero-X
- Max Speed: 45mph in the air
- Max Altitude: 10 feet
- Engine: Normally aspirated three-rotor rotary engine
- Range: 1 hour 15 minutes flight time
The Aerofex Aero-X is essentially a flying bike and looks a little bit like a Landspeeder from Star Wars.
It can carry two passengers up to 10 feet off the ground, so not exactly stratospheric heights, but Aerofex sees it being used for search and rescue, border patrol or surveying. Or you can take it to an open area and have some fun. When it launches, Aerofex says it will cost a “fraction of the most basic airplane or helicopter”.
Greg Brown and Dave Fawcett
GF7
- Max Speed: 550mph in the air/100mph on the road
- Max Altitude: 12,000 metres
- Engine: 50kWh battery on the road/jet engine in the air
- Range: 80-120 miles on the road/700-1000 miles in the air
The GF7 is in a concept stage at the moment, but designers Greg Brown and Dave Fawcett believe it could provide incredibly fast travel between cities.
It’s powered by a 50kWh battery pack that can be recharged when it’s in the air via the jet engine. This removes the need to constantly stop and top up power, providing the constant ability to fly and drive. If and when it’s operational, it will cost anywhere between £3-5 million, plus the cost of obtaining a pilot’s license.
Airbus/Italdesign
Airbus Pop.Up
- Engine: Completely battery powered
- Range: 62 miles
The Airbus Pop.Up is a taxi service with a difference. Passengers will be able to book a Pop.Up cab via an app and depending on user knowledge, destination, traffic congestion and other factors, will be sent either a car or a flying vehicle to pick them up.
However, if you’re in a car on the road and congestion increases, you can request a flying module to come and pick you up. The capsule you sit in can disconnect from the road module and you’re lifted away and on to your destination. When passengers reach their destination, the ground and air modules automatically return to the nearest charging station to await the next booking.
Writing by Max Langridge.
Editing by Adrian Willings.
