Flying cars available 2026

[Eldorado]

If you're a believer in flying cars, you can now put down a $5,000 deposit to get one called the Aska that's scheduled to land in 2026. A Silicon Valley-based startup called NFT on Thursday opened a showroom to tout the aircraft and accept the refundable deposits to join its founder's club.

NFT debuted the Aska in 2019. It's an unusual design that can drive on conventional roads to and from takeoff and landing sites. It has folding wings, a 150mph top speed, a 250-mile range, six propellers powered by six batteries, and dual gas motors to keep those batteries charged.

The name is Japanese for "flying bird," but at the size of a large SUV (it fits four passengers and has a 50-foot wingspan), you won't be mistaking the Aska for any actual avians.

https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/flying-car-buyers-can-spend-5000-now-for-an-aska-in-2026/

[+OverSword]

[Hankenhunter]

About bloody time. In the 70's we were told we'd have them by the 90's. Funny Elon hasn't trotted one out yet. 

Oops, forgot about his car flying around Mars.  Technically it counts, I guess.

[the13bats]

I recall one many years back looked like a mini cooper with wings and while the op one looks more "tomorrowland disney" it still looks like a trade off where the car isnt a very good car and the plane isnt a very good plane.

Forget planes, for a flying car to really be something it needs to be far more like a helicopter to eliminate runways a plane needs,

[Silver]

41 minutes ago, the13bats said:

I recall one many years back looked like a mini cooper with wings and while the op one looks more "tomorrowland disney" it still looks like a trade off where the car isnt a very good car and the plane isnt a very good plane.

Forget planes, for a flying car to really be something it needs to be far more like a helicopter to eliminate runways a plane needs,

There is always that trade off.

Actually I think this flying car does do VTOL due to fans in its wings, but overall it's not practical. I doubt we'll ever get a flying car, there are too many obstacles (literal as well as metaphorical), and I'm speaking as someone who loves flying.  This is us taking off from a local field:

 

 

Edited April 16, 2021 by ted hughes

[the13bats]

6 minutes ago, ted hughes said:

There is always that trade off.

Actually I think this flying car does do VTOL due to fans in its wings, but overall it's not practical. I doubt we'll ever get a flying car, there are too many obstacles (literal as well as metaphorical), and I'm speaking as someone who loves flying.  This is us taking off from a local field:

 

Right, by the time tech is there for a practical vtol "car" no one much will care.

[Silver]

1 minute ago, the13bats said:

Right, by the time tech is there for a practical vtol "car" no one much will care.

Apart from any other consideration, it is far too dangerous. People kill themselves tripping over paving stones, imagine trying to land a flying machine in a back yard! And I don't think there will be a practical vtol car, too expensive on fuel (whatever sort) anyway.

[psyche101]

Wouldn't you need both a car licence and a pilots licence?

Interestingly I see Uber had sold of their flying taxi proposal. Disappointing that. Hope it still goes ahead with the new company. 

[the13bats]

My dad passed 2014 at 89 and for years he friendly fought my step mom on he wanted a personal aircraft, not just any but home made, he had been a navy plane tech and lifetime machinist so he had the skills

but she actually told him its the plane or me.

He never made one.

 

[psyche101]

7 minutes ago, the13bats said:

My dad passed 2014 at 89 and for years he friendly fought my step mom on he wanted a personal aircraft, not just any but home made, he had been a navy plane tech and lifetime machinist so he had the skills

but she actually told him its the plane or me.

He never made one.

 

I had a couple exes say it's me or your dog.

Can't remember their names now though......

[Golden Duck]

1 hour ago, ted hughes said:

Apart from any other consideration, it is far too dangerous. People kill themselves tripping over paving stones, imagine trying to land a flying machine in a back yard! And I don't think there will be a practical vtol car, too expensive on fuel (whatever sort) anyway.

Drones can land themselves.

[Hankenhunter]

1 hour ago, ted hughes said:

There is always that trade off.

Actually I think this flying car does do VTOL due to fans in its wings, but overall it's not practical. I doubt we'll ever get a flying car, there are too many obstacles (literal as well as metaphorical), and I'm speaking as someone who loves flying.  This is us taking off from a local field:

 

 

Agree. Humans are generally to accident prone. The car would need to be fully autonomous. And tinker proof. Including trip distances to remaining fuel ratios, so that a forgetful human has enough fuel for the trip. Not like an ordinary car that can coast to the curb if you run out. Yes we can make a flying car, but will the ordinary person be responsible enough to actually operate it safely? Pilot licences for all? Lot of extra cash on top of an already expensive vehicle? So many questions.

[Hankenhunter]

20 minutes ago, Golden Duck said:

Drones can land themselves.

That's up for debate with human passengers. Drones have been known to fly off and crash from glitches. Then there's the tinker factor. People love to tinker on their own vehicles. To make these vehicles tamper, and glitch proof, would the costs become too great to be afforded by the average person? Sealed mechanisms? Sounds very complicated. To complicated for the average person to control?  I think that they would have to be proven idiot proof before they could hit the market. 

 

 

[Golden Duck]

1 minute ago, Hankenhunter said:

That's up for debate with human passengers. Drones have been known to fly off and crash from glitches. Then there's the tinker factor. People love to tinker on their own vehicles. To make these vehicles tamper, and glitch proof, would the costs become too great to be afforded by the average person? Sealed mechanisms? Sounds very complicated. To complicated for the average person to control?  I think that they would have to be proven idiot proof before they could hit the market. 

 

 

With driverless vehicles we are already approaching the to the stage where we don't want input from a human.  Those fly-aways are from wi-fi interference.  Losing your equipment cost money.  If you don't want to lose it don't tinker with it.

The whole idea with drone flight controllers is to make them easier to control.

[moonman]

I don't see this going anwhere.

[Hankenhunter]

3 minutes ago, moonman said:

I don't see this going anwhere.

The topic, the vehicle, or both? Ambiguous answer. If the vehicle, I agree. More niche vehicle until farther in the future. Still cool though.

[moonman]

14 hours ago, Hankenhunter said:

The topic, the vehicle, or both? Ambiguous answer. If the vehicle, I agree. More niche vehicle until farther in the future. Still cool though.

The vehicle.