The world’s first production-ready flying car, which transforms from an automobile to a plane in just several seconds, has been unveiled to the public in Vienna by its Slovakian inventors.
The presentation of AeroMobil 3.0 took place at the Pioneers
Festival in the Austrian capital of Vienna on Wednesday.
“Really, I dedicate of this topic practically 25 years and I
started really in garage with my father and with my brother and
we made several projects, several prototypes, and now it's time
that we can present the real concept,” AeroMobil co-founder
and CTO, Stefan Klein, said.
The AeroMobil 3.0 transforms from a car to a plane by unfolding its wings, which are located behind the cockpit where the rear seats in an ordinary car would be.
Developed in Slovakia, the compact vehicle is designed to be able to drive in road traffic and fit into a standard parking space.
The flying car requires a paved or grass strip of around 250
meters to take off, and just 50 meters to land.
Powered by a Rotax 912 engine, it can reach speeds of up to 160
kilometers per hour on land and 200 kilometers per hour in the
air.
The AeroMobil 3.0 runs on standard automobile gasoline and can be
re-fueled at any petrol station.
The fuel consumption stands at 12.5 kilometers per liter while
flying, and 15 liters per hour while driving.
A pilot’s license would be required to fly the car, which has all
the safety features present in other airborne vehicles –
including autopilot, avionics, and a parachute deployment system.
The vehicle "has behavior as normal plane, is fantastic in
air, and very nice on the earth. And as here I said, my idea was
because I wish I was connected with emotion, with passion, with
freedom, and present now an object that can open connection
between people,” Klein said during the presentation.
The flying car has been successfully tested in the air. However,
Klein and his business partner, Juraj Vaculik, say they aren’t
taking orders yet, because a standard production process still
needs to be perfected.
When the AeroMobil 3.0 finally goes on sale, it will cost less
than a small plane, but more than a speedy sports car, according
to the inventors.