Flying Cars

The 2019 Beazley Designs of the Year shortlist features a flying car, an expandable building, and a HIV test for developing countries.

​While we've seen some "flying cars" that require a runway, there's no doubt that what most people really want is a vehicle that takes off and lands more like a helicopter. Well, the Aska may be the answer … when and if it reaches production.

The Geneva Motor Show closed its doors on Sunday, and we wrap up our coverage with one final gallery. Beyond the performance cars, concept cars and electrified vehicles, there was a group of vehicles that epitomized automotive adventure, ranging from all-terrain supercars to camper vans.

​​After turning heads at last year’s Geneva Motor Show with its production-ready flying car, PAL-V has returned for 2019 with a special edition that it says will actually be first out of the gate.

​If they really are to be considered "cars," flying cars will require at least two things: tires for driving on the road, and propellers for flying through the air. Goodyear has combined the two into one unit – or actually into four units – with its Aero concept.

Another flying car company is preparing to join the race, as Australia's Macchina Volantis gears up to prototype its roadable 5-seat electric aircraft. With VTOL capability, winged flight mode and a diesel range extender, it should fly at three times highway speed and offer some serious range.

In its 50th test flight, Vahana's Alpha One is starting to demonstrate its tilt-wing flight capabilities. Its eight electric props point skyward for vertical takeoff and landing, then tilt forward when in motion for efficient, quick winged flight over long ranges.

There are no powered spinning propellers in nature. When evolution has found an advantage to producing thrust in a fluid, it has done it mainly by flapping things back and forth - and a new VTOL aircraft propulsion system aims to do the same with a series of flapping wings mounted in large ducts.

Israel's Urban Aeronautics (UA) has announced it's going into full-scale development of its CityHawk VTOL flying car. The first manned flights of this hybrid-powered, 170 mph six-seater will take place in 2021-22, after which it'll be converted to run on hydrogen fuel cells.

​According to a just-issued press release from Terrafugia, the first production models of its Transition flying car should be on the market as of next year. When and if they do indeed arrive, they will now be sporting a hybrid drive system – among other newly-announced features.

​As successful as the Rolls-Royce name has been in luxury cars, it's been far bigger in aeronautics. So when these guys announce a four- to five-passenger hybrid electric/turbine VTOL aircraft with a 250-mph top speed and a 500-mile range, it's worth listening.

Canadian-based aviation firm Opener Inc. has unveiled its new BlackFly single-seater aircraft, which it bills as a Personal Aerial Vehicle (PAV) and the world’s first ultralight all-electric fixed-wing Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft.