BLUF

According to an Australian aerospace design expert, flying cars could be a potential travel option within the next decade.

Summary

The idea of flying cars might still seem like science fiction to most people, but the reality is that they may not be that far off being commercially available. Companies worldwide are working hard to develop flying cars that commuters could potentially use for everyday travel. University of NSW (UNSW) aerospace design expert, Dr Sonya Brown, said the aim of these vehicles was to eventually provide another means of urban air mobility to help reduce congestion on the road. She said:

Long-term, flying cars would offer us another means for short and personalised travel.

We’re starting to see an emergence of flying-car variants in development around the world—even here in Australia—as more companies invest in the technology.

Some early adopters of this technology include rideshare companies and emergency services.

Flying cars will resemble a cross between a drone and a small aircraft. Most will have wings and between four-to-eight rotors. They will fly somewhere between a few hundred to a few thousand metres above the ground, occupying the air space below commercial aircraft. Initially, flying cars won’t be capable of long-distance travel, instead potentially travelling up to 250 kilometres at a time. Dr Brown said the underlying technology with flying cars, i.e., taking off and land vertically and flying horizontally, made flying cars more complex than helicopters.

 

Learn more about the exciting prospect of flying cars that are likely to become a reality in the not too distant future.

References

Nov 2020 BBC The flying car is here – and it could change the world

Mar 2021 Forbes The World Of Flying Cars Just Got A Huge Injection

Jun 2021 BBC Flying car completes test flight between airports

Jun 2021 The Guardian Flying cars will be a reality by 2030, says Hyundai’s Europe chief