Ever since times immemorial, people's wish to fly to and back from whatever errand they have in mind has been an irresistible thought. Many attempts have been made at a flying car, but all have failed miserably. My view is that those failures have been mainly due to the requirement of special abilities from the driver (pilot) to handle such a vehicle, and from economic factors, such as cost and, mainly, maintenance.

I wonder, have all of the technological hurdles finally been overcome, so that the industry will finally be able to provide an easy-to-use, affordable flying car?

http://money.cnn.com/2018/06/06/technology/flying-car-las-vegas-kitty-hawk/index.html​

 

In my opinion, yes, it could be done from a technological standpoint. (Although you included "affordable" - that may still be a tough hurdle.) I think the legal, liability and regulatory hurdles are now much larger than the technological challenges. Look how the media goes berserk when a Tesla crashes, or when an Uber car strikes a pedestrian. There will be sharks circling looking for big payoffs every time one of these flying cars leaves the ground. It's actually a big drag on all manners of technological advancement. The recent "freedom to try" legislation is a rare step in the other direction.

 

but all have failed miserably.

I seem to recall James Bond making his escape in one (can't remember which film, though) .

 

I seem to recall James Bond making his escape in one (can't remember which film, though) .

I remember a flying back-pack, and a submarine-car ... but I can't remember a flying car in any of his movies

 

Managing the airspace would be a huge issue. There are about a quarter million general aviation aircraft of all types in the United States. The overwhelming majority of them are flown very, very infrequently -- well over half are single-engine piston aircraft. In contrast, there are over 250 million registered automobiles in the U.S., the majority of which are driven much more frequently. As best I can tell from various data sources, in the Denver metro area during the evening rush hour there are about as many cars on the road as there are general aviation aircraft in the entire nation. In contrast, there are about 10,000 airplanes (about half of them commercial and half general aviation) in the sky at the same time over the entire country.

If traffic on the highway gets bad, traffic slows to a stop and you get to sit there until things get resolved. Even so, look at the people that get impatient and disregard the law and safety in order to drive on the shoulder or cross the median or greenway in order to turn around or exit onto a side road.

Now imagine the congestion in the air were there stopping and waiting isn't an option and there aren't even any lanes or roads beyond what the regs and controllers say. It will be a free for all.

 

Flying cars + idiot drivers = beaucoup mayhem

 

In my opinion, yes, it could be done from a technological standpoint. (Although you included "affordable" - that may still be a tough hurdle.) I think the legal, liability and regulatory hurdles are now much larger than the technological challenges. Look how the media goes berserk when a Tesla crashes, or when an Uber car strikes a pedestrian. There will be sharks circling looking for big payoffs every time one of these flying cars leaves the ground. It's actually a big drag on all manners of technological advancement. The recent "freedom to try" legislation is a rare step in the other direction.

Affordability is a technical issue, too. In 1950, nobody thought we'd have "affordable" Dick Tracy video watches.

 

I have seen a flying car at the Forney Museum of Transportation here in Denver. I don't believe it ever got above the ground effect.

 

Affordability is a technical issue, too.

Absolutely. I was thinking of the Tesla model 3 when I wrote that. I mean, that's supposed to be an "affordable" EV for the masses and yet starts at $35K. Affordability is in the eye of the beholder.

 

Flying cars. Flying elephants. Flying pigs. They are fantasy.

It is not so much technical as physics and mission. The missions and environments are different, so the designs are different. It is like asking, when will there be dishwashers that can fix my coffee in the morning?

 

People have this romantic notion that getting from Point A to Point B in their flying car is complete freedom -- they get to take off from their driveway and go direct to their destination and land in a parking spot without having to even think about any other flying car (or bird or thunderstorm or anything else) along the way.

There's a reason that perhaps the most common mantra in general aviation is, "Time to spare? Go by air!"

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-44805697​

BlackFly can travel for up to 25 miles (40km) at a speed of 62mph. Its makers say it will eventually cost the same as a typical sports-utility car, but early models will be more expensive.

​

 

Hello,

Here is a dutch flying car:

Bertus

 

Hello,

Here is a dutch flying car:

Bertus

Interesting ... it's a girocopter! ... I wonder how safe it is

 

https://www.theguardian.com/technol...is-pentagon-us-military-funds-joby-kitty-hawk

https://www.theguardian.com/technol...ns-contract-nasa-develop-flying-taxi-software

Do you trust Uber for flying software?

 

https://www.theguardian.com/technol...is-pentagon-us-military-funds-joby-kitty-hawk

https://www.theguardian.com/technol...ns-contract-nasa-develop-flying-taxi-software

Do you trust Uber for flying software?

I might get seared for what I'm about to say .... but I'm under the impression that navigation-ly wise, it is easier to fly something like that thing in automatic than driving a car on the ground ...

 

I might get seared for what I'm about to say .... but I'm under the impression that navigation-ly wise, it is easier to fly something like that thing in automatic than driving a car on the ground ...

It depends on where you are, Death Valley or a city. I would expect real individual flying cars to be in a near ground, dense 3D urban environment using VTOL technologies.

 

Come on! Most people can't properly drive on the ground! Do we really want everyday people to be able to "drive" in the air too?

 

Come on! Most people can't properly drive on the ground! Do we really want everyday people to be able to "drive" in the air too?

I think eliminating human pilots is a big part of making a "flying car" practical. There's no way I want the half of all drivers that are already below average to leap into the sky.

 

I think eliminating human pilots is a big part of making a "flying car" practical.

That's the way it showed them in one of my favorite movies, "Blade Runner".