GabyIndeed, more and more flying cars are being designed around the world. For some models, there are already lines of buyers waiting.
In 2019, the American startup Next Future Mobility (NFT) announced the imminent creation of the flying car ASKA. Since then, the flow of orders from eager customers has not stopped for a moment. Potential buyers are intrigued by the 6-propeller winged design. The car’s rotors and wings can fold together when needed, like those of an insect. This means that one can freely choose how to travel – on land or in the air. However, there is one catch: a pilot’s license is required to operate the vehicle.
Recently, future driver-pilots got a closer look at an innovative concept. The flying and driving car made its debut in all its glory at the CES-2023 exhibition. This demonstration was preceded by numerous tests.
The full launch of the ASKA car (which means “bird that flies” in Japanese) is set to take place in 2026, the publication reported. Designboom .
What attracts driver-pilots to cars of the near future?
The four-seat ASKA model can move on the road like a car or fly like a helicopter or airplane: the vehicle has vertical takeoff and landing modes, as well as short takeoff and landing capabilities. The aerodynamic design ensures safe and efficient handling on the road and in the air, claim the developers of the concept.
One charge of the electric motors provides a flight range of up to 402 kilometers. Moreover, the electric architecture of the model allows for the use of another energy source, such as hydrogen.
ASKA can land anywhere: on a home lawn, street, or parking lot. The car can easily be switched to flight mode and take off vertically from a designated area. When the wings of the flying car unfold, it transitions to smooth flight in a programmed direction. After a vertical landing, the pilot-driver can either drive away like in a regular car or leave the vehicle parked.
As Guy Kaplinsky, the executive director of NFT, claims, the developers of ASKA have paid significant attention to the safety of the new model. This safety is ensured, in particular, by large wings and propellers, 6 battery packs, and the use of various energy sources – all of which will guarantee safe movement in the air and on the ground. NFT hopes that flying cars will eventually be available to the general public.
The startup founders plan to produce ASKA cars not only for sale but also to rent out a portion of the production. The first vehicles are expected to take to the skies – no longer as experimental prototypes – in 2026.
According to the authors of the idea, the implementation of the original model into daily life will be another step towards rethinking the quality of life in the 21st century.
“To build the best society and the best economy, we need the best transportation solutions, and flying cars will be part of that equation,” summarized Guy Kaplinski.
