ORIGINAL VERSION IS DUTCH LANGUAGE: CLICK HERE
As the asphalt fills with motor vehicles, initiatives focused on roads in the airspace are emerging.
Flying cars offer a promising solution to this problem. Especially where natural barriers hinder the fastest route from A to B, or where infrastructure is lacking altogether, a flying car can provide the solution.

Expected innovations in air traffic control systems and regulatory frameworks will further enable the integration of aircraft into existing transportation networks. Autonomous aircraft are no longer a distant prospect.

For aircraft weighing up to 2000 kg, an LAPL certificate is sufficient.

What is an LAPL training course?
Focus: Light aircraft, with a maximum weight of 2000 kg and a maximum of 3 passengers.

Validity: Valid only in Europe.

Purpose: Ideal for recreational flying and short-distance flights within Europe.

Duration of the training course
Flight hours:
At least 30 flight hours, including 20 hours of dual flight instruction (with an instructor) and 6 hours of solo flight, including 3 hours of solo cross-country flight (at least 150 km to another airport).

Theory:
The theory courses last approximately nine months, during which you will gain knowledge of aviation regulations, meteorology, navigation, and general aviation knowledge.

The complete training cycle:
The theory exams are valid for 18 months, and the exam must be completed within 24 months, otherwise you will need to take a refresher. Key Points
The LAPL certification is a good option if you don’t yet want to upgrade your certification to one that’s recognized worldwide.

You can schedule your flight lessons at your own pace, as the flight school doesn’t require you to take one lesson a week.

By 2032, the market for flying cars is expected to be very significant, reflecting both consumer interest and the potential for commercial applications in various sectors, including logistics, emergency services, and passenger transportation.
As research and development efforts continue to develop, the future of flying cars presents an exciting opportunity to transform urban mobility and redefine the way we navigate our cities.

APPLICATIONS ABUNDANT
Global application areas abound:
– How about environmental patrols, fire departments, Rijkswaterstaat (the Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management), dike monitoring, police surveillance, border control, coastal surveillance, lifeguards, tracking down criminals, human traffickers, and poachers?
If you spot something during the flight, you simply turn off the propulsion engine and hover quietly in the air while reporting to headquarters.
– Replacement of front-line crews in the military!
Fly a maximum of 650 km, drive a few kilometers out of sight over land for safety, and relieve two crew members at a gun emplacement. The relieved crew then quickly returns.
– An accident scene is usually not accessible by other means due to traffic congestion.
Currently, doctors are delivered by helicopter for serious accidents where a doctor is urgently needed. Sometimes a helicopter cannot even land near the accident scene. This is not only very expensive, but also very inefficient because a helicopter must be available, but it usually sits unused.
A helicopter also requires a trained pilot and traffic control.
None of this is necessary for a flying car that the doctor can even drive himself!
– Evacuations from (Wadden) islands (Indonesia has 10,000 and just as many ferry services).
– Plateaus that are currently inaccessible can be used for agricultural purposes.

Life will be completely different globally if you have a flying car.
– If you have a business on the other side of a canyon or river in Australia or South America, an afternoon of grocery shopping could cost you a week’s travel by land.
– Imagine needing parts quickly when a factory is shut down because a motherboard has burned out.

With a flying car, you won’t have to deal with traffic, roundabouts, or traffic lights.

Dozens of initiatives have been launched worldwide to develop a flying car.
Almost all of these initiatives have failed due to practically impossible issues, such as:

1) A flying car with four wheels must pass the mandatory crash test, which is a major problem for this type of vehicle.
2) If a flying car is equipped with approved wings, these must be relatively wide because their length is limited, making folding and storing them a challenge.
3) If a flying car is equipped with electric propulsion, its range is limited.
4) Batteries weigh a considerable amount, and recharging them takes considerable time.
5) If a flying car doesn’t have wheels, then mobile travel over land isn’t an option.

Developing a vehicle that is both airborne and road legal requires significant effort and financial buffers due to endless patience with demanding inspection bodies.

       

                                                  

     

KITTY HAWK (USA) INITIATIVE FAILED             Moller’s initiatives were never finalized

   

RENAULT AIR-4 ….was a stunt
The AIR4 itself isn’t a road car, but an eVTOL (electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) aircraft that has no wheels and is equipped with propellers. There are no plans to put the AIR4 into production; the project primarily serves as a promotional tool and a nod to the future of mobility.

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FIRST OF ALL PAL-V (NL)

PAL-V: LIBERTY

(Personal Air and Land Vehicle PAL-V) from the Netherlands.

This manufacturer, based in Raamsdonkveer, has spent the past 15 years working intensively on a vehicle that runs on three wheels and takes to the air using technology that has been in use for over 100 years.dd
The aircraft’s configuration:
● Two folded rotor blades are located on the roof of the car. These are hinged in the middle.

● Before flying, these must be deployed manually.
● At the push of a button, the car transforms into a gyrocopter.
● The cabin seats one pilot and one passenger.
● One small, retractable propeller on the rear.
● With a length of 4 meters, including the propeller, the Pal-V fits in any garage.
● The Pal-V requires a relatively short runway of 180 meters.
● Vertical takeoff is also available as an option: VTOL.
● For landing, a 20 x 20 meter plot of land is currently sufficient.
● One retractable propeller on the rear.
● The vehicle features a ground-compatible landing gear that can be adjusted for altitude when ready to fly.
● Estimated airspeed: 160 km/h (99 mph). Estimated air distance on a single tank: 500 km.

Estimated road speed: 160 km.

Estimated road distance: 1300 km.

The Pal-V Liberty is the only aircraft in the world ready for production.
PAL-V was the first in the world to receive approval from both the RDW (Netherlands Vehicle Authority) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for its type certification program.
EASA’s implicit statement confirms its belief in the concept, its ability to achieve certification, and its robust program to demonstrate this. PAL-V has already achieved more than 10% of the program’s production output.

2012: First Experimental Flight of the Pal-V Prototype (see video)
Over the past 13 years, a team of specialists has worked to perfect this mode of transport.
For example:
Much attention has been paid to reducing engine noise.
The Liberty now seats two people.
Safety has been further enhanced: the Pal-V continues to fly even if the engine fails.

FLY DRIVE ACADEMY BREDA AIRPORT

In 2024 Pal-V has set up an academy to enable future owners to obtain quickly a licence to fly a PAL-V.
3 experienced pilots each have one machine available for teaching in practise.
         
Copyright Findinet 2025                                        Copyright Findinet 2025

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Walt Disney already designed a car that has wings that will fold out as soon as the car needs wings:

 

 

2) Samson Switchblade (USA)

Samson has chosen for a vehicle on 3 wheels. Like Pal-V has.
Similar to Chitty Bang Bang, the wings of the Switchblade will come to live as soon as needed.
Once they want the vehicle to fly, using wings that will fold out from under the cabin.
Having bought the plane, one receives a set of parts that one will have to put together at an assembly station anywhere in the world.
This implies that the manufacturing of the apparatus can be done in the  USA, whilst the orders can be obtained on a worldwide basis.
See how the Switchblade flied in november 2023
D

At this moment the Switchblade is able to fly with fixed wings.
D
The system to use wings that can be stored under the cabin still needs to be developed.

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3) Klein Vision is in third place with the AIRCAR (SK).

The Klein Vision AirCar is a flying car being developed by the Slovakian company Klein Vision. It is a two-seater capable of transforming from a car into an airplane in about two minutes.
The AirCar has a {Wikipedia} certificate of airworthiness and is intended for series production.
However, certification for ground use will be problematic, as it is unlikely to pass a crash test.
See how the AIRCAR flied in May 2025

Is a driver’s license sufficient?
To fly the AirCar, you need a regular driver’s license and an EASA LAPL (Light Aircraft Pilot License) or PPL (Private Pilot License) if you choose to take to the skies.

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4) ALEF with MODEL A (Concept Car) (USA).
We estimate that this design has so many innovative aspects that it will take decades for an example to withstand scrutiny from the authorities.

This is a vehicle that resembles a motor vehicle, but in practical terms consists of a spherical cabin that can accommodate one pilot and one passenger.
The vehicle will have to propel itself using a kind of vacuum cleaner technology.

         

The MODEL A’s frame consists of a four-wheeled structure (crash-tested?) and a body that resembles a ventilation grille.

As you can see in the second photo, the vehicle is transparent, allowing air to be easily sucked through the body.

This is necessary because several powerfull fans are located within the body, which generate lift and propulsion.

Whether we ever see this aircraft on the road or in the air will require many years of study and certification for road driving and air flight.
See how the Model A flied in jan. 2025.

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Number 5:  AEROMOBIEL (Concept Car) (SK)

     

The aircraft’s configuration:
● Hinged wings, allowing them to be individually folded.
● Length including propeller: 6 meters, so you’ll need a large garage.
● One propeller on the rear.
● The Aeromobil requires a fairly long runway for takeoff and landing. It requires a runway for takeoff and a runway for landing.
● The exact length of the runway required depends on factors such as weight, wind speed, and air density.
● There is no landing gear specifically designed for landing.
● Estimated airspeed: 200 km.
● Estimated air distance: 700 km.
● Estimated road speed: 160 km.

Estimated road range: 1000 km.

A commendable design, but whether this device can pass the mandatory crash test for a car is questionable.
Without landing gear, you’d have to be very lucky to land the device without damage.

See how the AEROMOBIEL flied in deember 2014

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 6: CARPLANE Gmbh (Concept Car) (D)
The Carplane® is a bimodal vehicle for individual road and air transport.
It may be the world’s first regularly-certified aircraft to conform to road particle emissions standards.
Its motor is located between two hulls, thus reducing noise emissions.
It converts between modes in 15 seconds.
It’s currently being developed at the Research Airport in Braunschweig, Germany.

By storing the wings between the two hulls, they’re protected from damage.
Once the wing is removed, a road-ready vehicle is created.

See the latest model in a video presented by Carplane.

In the video, Carplane shows that the vehicle can move on wheels.
How this device will land on four wheels is a question for us, but who knows, Carplane might be able to solve that problem too.

 

 

 

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Every year, dozens of manufacturers invest in projects aimed at developing a vehicle capable of both land and air travel, but only PAL-V has succeeded in achieving both goals in practical terms.

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This vehicle does not have wheels and therefore does not require roadworthiness testing.

This technology has been experimentally demonstrated with drones that children play with.

A VTOL is intended for transport between locations equipped with a landing and takeoff facility.
This could be a building roof or, for example, a rail yard near a building.

 

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A) EMBRAER EVE (BR) eVTOL

Eve Air Mobility continues an intensive program of ground testing and progress in the integration of the aircraft’s propulsion and aerodynamic systems. In January 2025, the company completed the first thruster launch, a milestone considered crucial for the experimental flight.
The company is moving forward with plans to have the aircraft certified by the Brazilian Civil Aviation Authority (ANAC) and subsequently by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a crucial step in the company’s planning. Embraer expects the Eve to enter commercial service in 2027.

See video with the presentation of this aircraft

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B) The AIRBUS NEXTGEN (D) eVTOL

 

is a fully electric prototype for vertical takeoff and landing. It will feature four seats.

Based on a lift and cruise concept, it has an operational range of 80 km and a cruising speed of 120 km/h – making it ideally suited for various flight modes.

 

Copyright Airbus
The aircraft’s configuration:

● Fixed wings with a 12-meter wingspan, equipped with six propellers.
● The aircraft’s length has not yet been announced, but judging by the photos, it will be 8 meters.
● A V-shaped tail with propellers.
● Propulsion by a total of eight electrically driven propellers.
● No wheels, so it is not designed for land use.
See the presentation of this aircraft 

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C) HYUNDAI S-A2 (South Korea & USA) eVTOL

The S-A2 is a V-tail aircraft designed to fly at a speed of 193 kilometers per hour (120 mph) at an altitude of 457 meters (1,500 feet).
This aircraft primarily meets the needs of typical urban journeys of 40 to 64 kilometers (25 to 40 miles).

See the video presentation of this eVTOL

 

 

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D) TERRAFUGIA TF-2A (Concept) (USA) eVTOL

Some specifications of the subscale model include:
a wingspan of 4.5 meters (14.8 ft), a maximum takeoff weight of 60 kg (132 lb), and a cruising speed of approximately 100 kilometers per hour (62 mph).
The company is developing a future autonomous aircraft flight control system for urban air mobility (UAM).
Terrafugia is currently seeking qualified personnel.

Despite promising prototypes and Volvo’s support, Terrafugia eventually ran into financial trouble and was acquired by another company focused more on traditional aircraft development, according to an article by Innocent Driver.

 

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E) TERRAFUGIA  T FX (USA) eVTOL

The T FX is intended as a four-seat, plug-in hybrid-electric flying car for vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL).
The next-generation TF-X concept aircraft was unveiled by Terrafugia in May 2013.
It will be equipped with retractable wings and electrically powered rotors at the tips of folding wings.
It will operate as a VTOL aircraft, taking off and landing from runways, airstrips, and roads.
The aircraft will be equipped with a full-vehicle backup parachute system, which can be deployed by the operator in case of emergency or mechanical failure.

 

Despite promising prototypes and Volvo’s support, Terrafugia eventually ran into financial trouble and was acquired by another company focused more on traditional aircraft development, according to an article by Innocent Driver.

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F) EHANG (Concept Drone) (CHINA) eVTOL

 

The EH216-S is an autonomous passenger aircraft designed for urban mobility.

 

 

 

 

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G) PIVOTAL HELIX (Concept) (USA) eVTOL BY OPENER

The Helix is a single-seat fly-by-wire eVTOL designed for recreational use and short-haul travel.
The design was developed by OPENER and has two 4.3-inch tandem cantilever wings mounted at the front and rear of a small fuselage, with four electric propellers on each wing. With this proposed tilt-aircraft architecture, the entire aircraft tilts to transition between hovering and cruising.
Opener BlackFly 
The pre-production BlackFly is expected to have a range of approximately 32 km on a single battery charge, a top speed of 100 km/h, and a payload capacity of 104 kg.

 

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H) ARCHER “MAKER” (ELECTRIC AIR TAXY) (USA) eVTOL

Archer Aviation’s “Maker” is a two-seat, 12-propeller eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) demonstration aircraft. It is primarily designed to be piloted, with plans for future autonomous flight. The Maker features 12 propellers (six tilting propellers and six VTOL-only propellers) and is powered by 12 electric motors and six independent battery packs. It can reach a top speed of 240 km/h (150 mph) and a range of 96 kilometers (60 miles).

See the presentation of the flight of the Maker.

 

 

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I) XPENG HAS SEVERAL eVTOL PROJECTS IN DEVELOPMENT

I-1)  Het X-1 PROJECT eVTOL
This is an eVTOL similar to a moped.
So, for one person, it will travel in the open air.
So, no cabin.

 

 

 

 

I-2) XPENG X 2 PROJECT (CHINA) eVTOL
The XPENG X2 is an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) flying car developed by XPENG AeroHT, a subsidiary of Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer XPeng. It is designed for urban air transportation and short-distance travel, with a focus on sustainable and efficient transportation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I-3) GOVY AIR CAR

The “GOFY AIR CAR” appears to refer to the Xpeng AeroHT X2, a “flying car” that successfully completed test flights in Guangzhou and was publicly demonstrated at the Guangzhou International Auto Show in November 2024. This electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft is designed for urban transportation and tourism, and is now ready for complex urban environments.
See video/presentation of the Govy Air Car

 

 

 

I-4) XPENG AEROHT eVTOL
This is a vehicle designed to transport two people, including the pilot.
See how this vehicle is expected to perform in the air.

Roof lift
In “flying” mode, four arms extend from the open roof.

 

 

 

 

I-5) PROJECT LAND AIRCRAFT CARRIER eVTOL
The owner can load the eVTOL in a large van that can drive on public roads and that carries the eVTOL as cargo in the loading area.
This concept is based on the idea that the owner drives their van to a location for inspections or a sightseeing flight.
They then return to their vehicle and load it up for the return trip.
This limitation could pose a problem for many interested parties, as there is no air transport from one location to another.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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J) VOLKSWAGEN VMO (CHINA)
JULY 2022
The prototype concept is based on existing autonomous driving solutions and battery technology for emission-free mobility. Featuring a luxury x-wing configuration of 11.2 meters in length and a wingspan of 10.6 meters, it has eight rotors for vertical lift and two propellers for horizontal flight. The Group will conduct several flight tests later this year to optimize the concept, and an improved prototype will undergo further advanced flight testing by late summer 2023. In its final future version, the fully electric and automated eVTOL could ultimately carry four passengers plus luggage over a distance of up to 200 km.
See the presentation of the plans to build the VMO

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K) GUANGZHOU GOFY AIR CAR (Motor vehicle with separate eVTOL) (CHINA)

The road and air vehicle consists of two separate units: the flight pod and the road chassis. Both can move together or independently.
When the flight pod is positioned on the chassis and driving on the road, the propeller arms retract.
When flying with the cabin, the propeller arms are extended for flight mode.
The chassis then remains in a parked position, waiting for the cabin to return.

See how this concept is presented.

 

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L) TOYOTA/ JOBY CITY AIRBUS (J) eVTOL

Toyota is partnering with Joby Aviation to develop an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle, also known as an air taxi. This is an electrically powered aircraft capable of vertical takeoff and landing, making it suitable for urban environments. Toyota is making a significant investment in Joby, including contributions to the development of its production line and the supply of components.

 

 

 

 

 

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M) Skydrive / Car-tivator (USA) eVTOL

 

The Cartivator has been developed as a one-person vehicle.
NOT A CAR
Will not be equipped with wheels, although its name indicates that it is a CAR.
The machine  has been designed to fly on basis of a set of 6 propellers.The SkyDrive air taxi accommodates a pilot and two passengers. The aircraft is powered by twelve electric propeller motors and has a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of 1,400 kg. The SkyDrive’s flight range is limited: it can only travel 15 km and is suitable for short hops within urban areas. SkyDrive expects flights of 25 km to be possible in a few years, and 40 km in about five years. By 2031, the market will be ready for autonomous flights, allowing an additional passenger to travel in place of the pilot, according to the Japanese company. The air taxi has a maximum speed of 100 km/h.

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N) METRO SKYWAYS: SKYHAWK  (USA) eVTOL
Wingless airplane

Urban aeronautics‘ metro skyways has been developing fancraft, a technology that makes it possible to design a vehicle that is actually the size of a car and can carry the same number of passengers but can fly with no exposed rotor. as such, cityhawk, its flagship fancraft model, can take-off and land anywhere, any time, in any weather. including the pilot, it can accommodate up to six occupants in a cabin 50% larger than a comparable helicopter.

 

 

 

This airplane uses two large ventilators / propellers to move.

It will have seats for 6 persons.

 

 

Latest repdesign of City Hawk

 

 

 

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O) Air One is an eVTOL
Airrev initially envisions a two-seat eVTOL with a range of 110 miles (177 km) on a single battery charge, a cruising speed of 100 mph (161 km/h) and a top speed of 155 mph (255 km/h). It will be powered by four electric motors. An unmanned cargo version of the Air One is also being developed for defense, logistics, and humanitarian missions.

 

P) Vertical Aerospace VX4 eVTOL
Specifications:

Aircraft type: eVTOL UAM aircraft
Capacity: 1 pilot and 4 passengers
Cruise speed: 241 km/h (150 mph)
Range: 161 km (100 miles)
Payload: 450 kg (992 lb)
Propellers: 8 propellers (each rear VTOL propeller is considered one propeller)
Electric motors: 8 electric motors
Windows: Large windows and skylight providing spectacular views for passengers
Wing configuration: High gull wing with flaps and ailerons, and the wing ends are both considered winglet and anhedral surfaces
Tail configuration: V tail with rudders
Tail feature: Under the tail there are VHF antennas which have been positioned to offer some aerodynamic benefit at high angles of attack
Wing span: 15 meters (49 feet, 2 inches)
Length: 13 meters (42 feet, 8 inches)
Height: 4 meters (13 feet, 1 inch)
Landing gear: Retractable tricycle wheeled landing gear
Safety features: Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP), provides safety through redundancy for its passengers and/or cargo. DEP means having multiple propellers and motors on the aircraft so if one or more motors or propellers fail, the other working motors and propellers can safely land the aircraft. Electric batteries, electric motors and small propellers are a much safer aircraft because there are exponentially less parts, using more reliable parts such as electric motors and batteries which making electric aircraft not only less complex but makes them more reliable then their complicated multiple-parts petroleum fueled engines and complicated multiple-parts transmissions.

See the short video made during a test in 2024

Q) PIPISTREL 801 eVTOL (SL)
Pipistrel is part of the new Textron eAviation segment of Textron Inc. and is therefore no longer an independent company, after Textron acquired it in 2022. Pipistrel continues to focus on electric and hybrid aircraft, including the development of its eVTOL technology, and will retain its operations and brand within the Textron group.