The supposed flying cars that I've seen are wing based that need runways and wings for lift. The Dutch got it right with helicopter based flying car. BBC News - Will sales of flying car take off? They actually got it flying. I'm sure you'll need a license from the FAA to fly it along with a driver license from the DMV.
Obviously you don't know anything about the laws in the US. Vehicles are registered in the state it's intended to be operate in. Since this flying car is not designed and manufacturer by an established auto manufacturer, it qualifies under the Specially Constructed Vehicles Emission Control. Once it pass smog, you just need to install the required lighting to become street legal. That's it. There's no safety crash test involved like a real car. As for FAA approval, you just follow this guideline Experimental Category for airworthiness. After that, all you need are the license to drive and license to fly and a shit load of money to make it happen.
In the hundred years we've now had cars and planes nobody has yet explained why we even need a flying car, and this is why dozens of attempts have been made and all have failed. Reason being the product ends up costing at least as much as any competitive flight vehicle and yet is terrible as a car. I think I read recently a person on these forums said these things typically fly like cars and drive like planes. I think flying vehicles of some sort in a mass produced manner have a future--many, many decades into the future. As technology gets better and prices come down it's not only the rich who will have their own flying vehicle (think Back to the Future II, for example). Today, however, if you're wealthy enough to have a car or helicopter chances are you also have the means to get a much better car at your destination than what these things have all offered. Frankly, I have no idea who keeps funding these ventures.
You really need to consider these road-worthy aircraft, not flying cars. Terrafugia is a MA based one that just flew the production prototype recently. I figure the target market is someone who commutes in an aircraft - if the weather gets bad on the commute home, just drive instead.
Yes I'm ignorant in US law fortunately. Thanks for the update, very informative. It's very alarming knowing it doesn't have anykind of safety test whatsoever. About having the FAA approval, omg. USA just forbidden commercial UAV's because they are afraid of terrorists but they allow a much more dangerous home made flying car to be flown with just simple guidelines for airworthiness??? Imagine if the car crashes into someone house and kills someone. Who's responsible for the deaths? Couldn't they just make some safety tests? But then from a country where anyone can have a gun that's not surprising.
This technology won't get anywhere until they make one that's also a submarine. Don't laugh; when the ice caps melt and your garage is suddenly 8 feet underwater having the sub capability will still get you to work on time. Irwin Allen & Co. were on the right track back in 1964 - the only things missing were four wheels and a license plate (start at 16:15): Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea Full Episode (The Monster From Outer Space) - IMDb
According to your link, it needs a 540-foot runway. It's not a helicopter. It's a gyrocopter. I presume that's the same or similar to an autogyro: It gets lift from a rotor blade, like a helicopter, but the blade is turned by the forward motion of the craft, which is propelled by a conventional propeller (or perhaps a jet engine, though a jet engine on a car would be problematic.)
THIS is cool: The Dolphinator : Krulwich Wonders... : NPR All of the flying cars I've seen look utterly absurd
Ice caps won't melt over night or over year, It might take a century. You'll have enough time to design, test, market the perfect vehicle for that event. Also, when the ice caps melt, and we're all drowning, work is the last thing on my mind.
You're right Bra... it is an autogyro and not a helicopter... the problem of getting it certified as a road vehicle will be from the propulsion prop in the rear...
That IS cool. I'm sure it's a lot harder to control than he makes it look, though. Those "stabilizers" are hand-held water jets. There's a reason why you always see about half a dozen firemen holding the big hoses: they're fighting the thrust of the water jet (as well as perhaps supporting the weight of the hose). Take your average Joe and put him on the "dolphinator" and he'll go completely out of control and probably drown.
Batman didn't have any problem with a jet in the Batmobile... I say it's about damn time, I have been waiting since I was promised in the '60s we would have Flying Cars at the turn of the Century!. This little Gomer, does look like the Gyrocopter, but I do not see a prop in the rear...maybe there is a small jet tucked in there. Must be hell on the ears!
I can just see people doped up on Oxycontin, texting their friends and piloting a flying car at the same time.
A rolling boat that isn't actually floating... This will also have a problem with brakes... but since this is really a speculative thread... I'd like a ride in either...
Agreed. And by golly I'd like to find out in real life to be sure. I actually understand the point of that driving ship picture. More so than the flying car.
