The idea of a flying car is fast becoming more real and less like science fiction. If you had attended this past week’s Munich (Germany) Auto Show, you’d already know that.
Chinese car maker Xpeng and other automakers showed off their new lineup of vehicles including flying taxis and automobiles. “We want to give the car wings,” said Wang Tan, co-founder of Xpeng’s aeronautical unit.
At the show, car manufacturers showcased their small electric aircraft powered by multiple rotors designed for short journeys. The “aircraft” look like our small hobby drones here in the States except they’re a lot bigger and more powerful.
And, surprise, the vehicles may go on sale a lot sooner than you’d expect. Xpeng’s Land Aircraft Carrier, an electric car that contains a fold-out, two-seat electric aircraft, is expected to go into mass production in China in 2026 with a sticker price equivalent to about $281,000 U.S. dollars.
We’re not sure about what our skies would look like with thousands of flying cars zooming by overhead willy-nilly, but the vision of it is a little frightening. Still, wouldn’t it be great to bring along one of these vehicles on your RV adventures for sightseeing trips from the campground.
We trust the vehicles will be equipped with dependable crash-avoidance systems. If not, we might want to build stronger roofs on our homes to protect us from debris from in-air collisions.
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Great! Now we will have distracted flyers and people FUI (flying under the influence).
All the latest technology, what could possibly go wrong?!
The photo shown with this article looks like a small helicopter or drone.
That is an aircraft, not a “flying” car! The article title is misleading.
I agree. Net is, anyone flying one of these will need to have a pilot’s license and register this aircraft like any other…and be subject to all laws and rules governing aircraft.
With the current congestion in the skies and problems with Air Traffic Control, we surely don’t need more “things” in the air. At nearly $300k, I suspect there will not be a lot of buyers anyway.
Yeah, I was hoping to pull my trailer to my spot, unhook and fly to town for a beer or two!
Every year about this time someone announces a flying car. Prototype is made and never to be seen again. It’s difficult to get a aviation certificate or “driver license “ and expensive too
I can just see the debris from midair collisions
at 70, don’t look for us old guys anytime soon
Mass production of this “thing”? – not a car and not an airplane, but an “aircraft”. Therefore it is governed by the FAA rather than the DOT! The comment: …”Imagine zipping from your RV campground straight into the clouds!” Been there done that! Now picture zipping into a cloud and 45 seconds later impacting the ground due to loss of the horizon, due to vertigo! It takes years of training and practice to zip into the clouds -to say nothing of the radio’s and instruments; it also requires communication and clearance from Air Traffic Control “ATC”.
I remember articles about the coming of flying cars as far back as the 1950’s.
The comments regarding the FAA are mostly correct. To be used in any commercial operation, first the design would have to certified by the FAA. It’s called a Type Certificate. If the FAA had a reciprocal agreement (called Bilateral Agreement) with the Chinese Civil Air Athority then the FAA could accept the Chinese design approval. The FAA would have to see that the Chinese process to issue a Type Certificate mirrors the FAA’s process. Then the same discussion in the previous sentences would have to take place regarding the production process. I won’t describe it here other than to say the processes are costly and time consuming.
There are already too many flying cars on the ground. Don’t need them in the air too.
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Thank you for the news, RV Travel! After reading this, I fully understand why I did not invent this; I see only problems and few benefits aside from ranchers looking for lost calves. Have a great day and safe travels!