The author, John Marek, is a writer and CEO of the Anson Economic Development Partnership.
Our economic development office receives dozens of requests for information (RFIs) annually. Some of these companies are great fits for the county and will eventually become valuable employers and taxpayers, while others are less of a fit and will end up locating elsewhere. We take all RFIs seriously and respond to each one, even if we must decline the request because we cannot meet their needs or requirements. But if we’re being honest, a few come across our desks that are more than a little “aspirational” in nature. For example, a couple of years ago, we received an RFI from a company looking to open a manufacturing facility for “personal vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) vehicles.” I immediately called the project manager at NSCE and inquired, “So, now we’re talking about flying cars?”
Interest in flying cars goes back nearly as long as cars and flying. In 1917, Popular Mechanics magazine published an article that featured illustrations of a flying car concept called the Curtiss Autoplane. In 1926, Popular Science joined the party with an article titled “Will We Ever Drive Through the Air?” that explored the technical challenges involved in its development.
From the perspective of popular culture and the public imagination, an early concept of a flying car was introduced in 1940 in a short story by L. Ron Hubbard called “The Roads Must Roll.” In this story, Hubbard describes a future where cars have been replaced by a network of high-speed conveyor belts, with flying cars used for long-distance travel. The idea was further popularized in the 1960s by the animated series “The Jetsons,” which depicted a futuristic world where cars could transform into small aircraft.
In the decades since, numerous attempts have been made to develop a functional flying car. The most well-known of these attempts was the Moller Skycar, a prototype vehicle developed by California-based Moller International. The Skycar was first unveiled in 1989 and underwent a series of modestly successful test flights. Despite these efforts, however, the Skycar never went beyond the prototype stage and Moller International eventually went bankrupt.
Other attempts at developing a flying car have met with similar challenges. The Terrafugia Transition, a prototype vehicle developed by a company in Massachusetts, was unveiled in 2009 and underwent a series of successful test flights. It was essentially a small plane with fold-up wings that would have been very unwieldy on the highway, and it faced numerous regulatory hurdles as both a car and an aircraft. The company ultimately shifted its focus to developing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) vehicles instead.
Despite the ongoing fascination with flying cars, numerous challenges have prevented successful commercial development. One of the most significant of these challenges is the issue of regulation. While the Federal Aviation Administration has developed rules for traditional aircraft, there are currently no regulations in place for flying cars. This has made it difficult for companies to obtain the necessary certifications and approvals to bring a flying car to market.
In addition to regulatory hurdles, significant technical challenges are involved in developing a flying car. The vehicle would need to be lightweight and compact enough to operate as a car while also possessing the necessary lift and propulsion systems to take to the skies.
Design concepts for flying cars have evolved significantly over the years as technology has advanced and new materials and engineering approaches have become available. In the early days of flying car development, most designs were based on fixed-wing aircraft that could also drive on roads. However, in recent years, there has been a trend toward VTOL designs that can take off and land vertically, like a helicopter or drone. VTOL designs have the advantage of being able to take off and land in tight spaces, which could make them more practical for urban use.
With the rise of electric vehicle technology and autonomous systems, modern flying car concepts are based on battery-powered propulsion systems and self-flying/driving tech. Electric motors are quieter, more efficient and require less maintenance than traditional internal combustion engines, making them well-suited for flying cars, and autonomous control reduces the necessary skill set to a more reasonable level for the average driver.
Even with those advances, however, it may still be some time before the dream of a flying car becomes a reality, and we can finally answer the question, “Where’s my flying car?”