Although a flying car may seem like the stuff of science fiction films and every child’s desire, it will actually be a reality within the next year. A car called an AirCar can transform into an airplane and fly. According to Klein Vision, a Slovakian flying car company located in Nitra, the Slovak Transport Authority has given the futuristic vehicle the go-ahead in Slovakia. One of the first crafts of its sort to do so was officially certified.
The organization gave AirCar its Certificate of Airworthiness after it finished more than 200 takeoffs and landings as well as 70 hours of test flights that met the standards of the European Aviation Safety Agency, the firm claimed in a press release about the ground-breaking event. According to the press release, the difficult flight tests “included the full range of flight and performance maneuvers and demonstrated an astonishing static and dynamic stability in the aircraft mode. The takeoff and landing procedures were even accomplished without the pilot’s need to touch the flight controls.
Also commenting was the Slovak Transport Authority. The Civil Aviation Division’s Ren Molnr stated that AirCar “combines leading advances with safety measures in line with EASA regulations. It establishes a brand-new class of dependable airplane and sports automobile. Its certification was an interesting and difficult task.
An eight-person team of specialists put in more than 100,000 hours to convert sketches of the AirCar’s concept into 3D models, which were then tested in wind tunnels. The next prototype had a 15KW engine and had two seats. According to a representative for Klein Vision, the original life-size AirCar was operated by remote control.
The final model, which transforms from a car to a small plane, was tested by Klein Vision’s founder Stefan Klein, who also served as team leader during development. “AirCar certification opens the door for highly effective flying cars to be produced in large quantities. He declared that it was official and the last testament to his team’s capacity to completely alter long-distance travel.
Within the next year, people will be able to purchase AirCar all around the world, but according to a Klein Vision spokeswoman, only licensed pilots will be allowed to actually fly it. Depending on the amenities the model contains, the innovation’s asking price will range from $550,000 to $1.1 million. The representative notes that if you want a model with the most recent GPS or technology, for example, it would cost more money.
Pricey? Yes, without a doubt. But the price may be more than justified depending on who is purchasing. After all, we are talking about a flying car.
In This Article...
How does a hover vehicle operate?
Volkswagen requested novel auto concepts. A girl in China created The VW Hover car after receiving 119,000 suggestions and 33 million website visitors in response to the invitation.
The car would move forward thanks to thrusters that would be built in the back. The roadways beneath the “vehicle would need electromagnetic suspension strips inserted into them in order to make the hovering effect possible.
Volkswagen was so awestruck by the hover car that they decided to make a quick CGI YouTube video. The VW Hover Car is shown in the video below hovering through Beijing, China. VW gave the girl’s parents a prize by letting them “test drive” the car in the fake video.
Is it possible for an automobile to fly?
According to the CEO of a tech business, flying automobiles could be made commercially available in 2024, but legislation to control the new type of air traffic will be a problem.
There is a difference between the time when cars can fly and the time when they will be trustworthy and safe for navigating the skies, according to Hugh Martin of Lacuna Technologies, which assists cities in developing transportation policies.
Aerial vehicles are being developed by numerous automakers. They include Fiat Chrysler and Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer Xpeng.
Some individuals will be able to purchase flying automobiles, but the majority will probably still use electric or self-driving cars to get around.
According to him, vehicles that don’t need to raise off the ground can be safer and transport more passengers.
VW produces flying cars, right?
Flying Tiger is a prototype electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL), according to a release from Volkswagen China. VTOLs are planes with the ability to take off, land, and hover vertically. All helicopters fall under the category of VTOL aircraft, although some fighter jets, including the F-35B Lightning II, also fall under this category.
In order to “research the next generation of mobility solutions, including the urban air mobility market and the extension of urban traffic into airspace,” Volkswagen China initiated the Vertical Mobility project in 2020. This project includes the development of the Flying Tiger.
The prototype, according to the business, has a luxurious x-wing design that is 11.2 meters long and 10.6 meters wide. The prototype aircraft’s eight rotors aid in providing vertical lift. Horizontal flight is assisted by two propellers.
The prototype will undergo tests through 2022, according to the corporation, before being put through even more sophisticated test flights in 2023.
When the car is eventually finished, it will be capable of transporting four people along with their belongings up to a 200km distance.
Who might use Flying Tiger
“The debut of this spectacular validation model, the V.MO, is the first of many remarkable milestones on our exciting journey towards urban air travel, and a great embodiment of our ‘From China, For China’ objective,” stated Dr. Stephan Wllenstein, CEO of Volkswagen Group China.
According to the company’s statement, the Flying Tiger is anticipated to be introduced to high-net-worth, tech-savvy Chinese clients as a premium product for usage as VIP air shuttle services during its initial phase.
Interest in the concept of commercial flying taxi services has increased recently. In 2019, a Boeing self-flying passenger drone successfully completed its first test flight. Aston Martin, a British automaker, Hyundai, a South Korean automaker, and Xpeng, a Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer, are among other companies with an interest in flying cars.
In 2022, will there be flying cars?
However, even those who are willing and able to spend that much money on one of the future cars will have a long wait. Only three of the 105 eVTOL jewels from the Jetson ONE flying cars’ initial batch, which was scheduled to be delivered in 2022, are still available.
The new commute video, which includes pictures from the pilot’s perspective as well as footage above, to the side of, and in front of the eVTOL car recorded by a drone flying to document its movement, can be used to pass the time for prospective purchasers and less affluent enthusiasts.
Can I purchase a flying car right now?
If traveling by plane to work has always been your fantasy, it might become a reality very soon.
Flying cars are swiftly emerging as the next big thing. Businesses are constantly searching for new market segments.
Plans exist for flying taxis and vehicles that can operate both on and off the road. These vehicles will serve as the foundation for future transport.
According to the company’s website, its mission is “to make the sky accessible for everyone with our safe personal electric aerial vehicle.”
Jetson One’s eight electric motors, which together produce 102 horsepower, allow it to travel at a top speed of 63 mph. The vehicle has a 20-minute continuous running time.
Although the business doesn’t state what the car’s top altitude is, it can launch vertically and stay in the air.
A throttle lever and three-axis joystick are provided for controlling the vehicle.
No money has been spared when it comes to safety. The technologies employed in race vehicles served as inspiration for the vehicle’s chassis. The business added that even if an engine fails, it will still be able to fly. A LiDAR sensor that can follow the landscape to avoid obstructions, an emergency function that takes control of the aircraft, and a parachute with a quick deployment system are all included.
Jetson has further deliveries planned for 2023 even though it’s already sold out for 2022. If you’re interested, you may make a $22,000 deposit to reserve one online.
But that’s not all. Since it is sent as a partially built kit, you must finish it at home.
How much do hover cars cost?
There are various luxuries in the world, like private jets, private islands, and soon, flying automobiles. While some people currently own flying automobiles, their accessibility will increase more than ever in the years to come. Flying cars won’t be cheap, though, by any means. Prices for flying cars vary widely, so it’s difficult to estimate what they will set you back. One illustration is provided by a Swedish business named Jetson, which is appropriate given the well-liked show from the 1980s that featured flying automobiles. The Jetson ONE, a flying sports automobile that the business wants to sell for $92,000, is the company’s model (via Autoweek). The Jetson ONE offers 20-minute trips for riders that weigh 210 pounds or less, so this option isn’t the best for lengthy travels or the most accommodating of body size diversity.
Another mass-produced flying vehicle is being developed by Chinese EV manufacturer Xpeng. By 2024, the business hopes to start mass producing its car, which will sell for close to $157,000. As of this writing, the name of this flying vehicle is unknown (via Fortune). Of course, the costs will continue to rise as technology advances. Flying cars will come in a wide variety and, like traditional cars, their worth will depend on their capabilities. You might be able to get one for less than $100,000, but it’s also possible for this form of air travel to easily cost more than $1 million.
Exist magnetic cars?
Let’s go over the steps for starting up and making the Magnetic Air Car ready to go.
A 12-volt battery (similar to the one in your car) first ignites the vehicle to start it when a key is turned, a button is pushed, a card is swiped, or however else this car was designed to start.
The battery activates a magnetic motor, which drives a pump compressor. In no more than 10 minutes, the pump compressor fills two 10-gallon storage tanks with air that has been compressed to 200 pounds per square inch. The four air-bearing turbochargers, which the business claims can achieve speeds of one million revolutions per minute and require no maintenance for 100 years, are then powered by the compressed air. The interrobang, the most recent in punctuation, might be useful here:?!
The compressed air is then delivered to a pneumatic torque converter, which subsequently transmits the energy produced by the Air Cycle Machine (as the firm referred to it) to a transmission and finally to the wheels. And presto! Driving a magnetic air vehicle.
The Magnetic Air Car would theoretically never need to be refueled, have an infinite range, and thanks to a water filtration system that was said to clean the air as it was recycled within the system, any air leaving the magnetic air car would have actually been cleaner than the air that went into it (although a prototype was never seen in public). Oh, and each buyer was supposed to get a free unicorn.
Sincerely, the technology doesn’t seem all that futuristic. In essence, it is an electric car that uses air tanks in place of lithium-ion batteries. However, the boasts of an infinite driving range and no maintenance for a century seem to be edging closer to eternal motion, which ought to make the majority of us cast skepticism upon them.
For this propulsion system, Magnetic Air Motors did in fact submit a patent application in 2008, and the application was approved in 2011. In other words, there’s still a remote possibility that this concept will emerge from the realm of science fiction and become (at the very least) a prototype. Maybe.