A video of a flying car has been going viral on social media and media for a few days now. Along with this, the car manufacturing company is receiving a large number of pre-orders (purchase proposals). When a car stuck in a traffic jam can immediately fly into the sky, it is natural that people's interest in it increases.
Aleph Aeronautics, an American company founded in 2015, has released its first flying car this week. The company is promoting it as the world's first flying car. In the video footage released by the company, a black car can be seen taking off directly from the ground and flying into the sky. The BBC's senior technology journalist Chris Vallance points out in his report that this is not an illusion but a real flying car.
Alef Aeronautics has set the starting price of the flying car at three hundred thousand dollars (about Rs. 4 crores). It is a fully electric car . The US media reported that the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has given it a 'Special Airworthiness Certificate'. The company claims that a driver was inside the car during the test flight.
This car can both fly and run . Its estimated driving range will be 322 km and air distance will be 110 km. This means that it can be flown continuously for up to 110 km on a single charge . However, only two people can fit in this car.
According to Jim Dukhovni, Chief Executive Officer of Aleph, people's interest in this car has increased tremendously . He said in a video with the BBC that the company has received thousands of pre-orders and aims to start production of the car within a year. "To drive this car, you need to be aware of road as well as air rules," he says, "We are very safety sensitive and don't want to show the car to the public unless it is safe enough for consumers."
Dukhovni compared the recent test flight with the historic "Kitty Hawk" flight of the Wright brothers and said that this new transportation is possible for the human world . On December 17, 1903, the Wright brothers made an airplane named "Wright Flyer" and flew for 12 seconds in North Carolina, which is called the Kitty Hawk flight. This event is considered the beginning of modern aviation because it laid the foundation for the air transportation system.
Alef Aeronautics is not alone in building a flying car. Big companies like Tesla, Hyundai, Airbus are also trying to make flying cars. Some companies in Japan, China and Europe have also reached the testing stage. However, not only the technology for such vehicles but also the legal process is very challenging. In the US, strict guidelines from the Federal Aviation Administration must be followed to meet traffic regulations, flight permits and safety standards.
However, if all goes according to plan, private flying cars could be commercially available for consumers within a few years . Someday you too will be able to fly directly from home to the office.
