Skip to main content

PAL-V flying helicopter car completes liftoff, maneuvers the streets and the sky with ease

PAL-V-flying-car-completes-successful-liftoff,-maneuvers-the-streets-and-the-sky-with-ease
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Forget hybrid, forget electric, and forget roads! Right now, it’s all about flying cars. With Terrafugia Inc’s flying car set to land at this week’s New York Auto Show, another flying car is clearing for takeoff.

Dubbed the Personal Air and Land vehicle (PAL-V) and hailing from the Netherlands, the PAL-V is a fully drivable and flyable aircraft that is as much at home in the clouds as it is on the roads. Tired of traffic? Take to the skies and break free of the unending wheel of gridlock you’ve had to suffer through all these years.

Of course right off the bat you can see that the PAL-V resembles a helicopter more than a winged aircraft, which is where it breaks away from other flying vehicles like the Terrafugia. The transformation from car to flying copter-car reportedly takes only a few minutes, although it requires ample space to take off (roughly 165 meters or about 541 feet). The PAL-V is reportedly as easy to operate on the ground as it is in the air thanks to a proprietary Dynamic Vehicle Control (DVC) system, which “automatically adjusts the tilt angle of the vehicle to its speed and acceleration.”  According to the company, the flying-car can reach speeds of over 100 mph on land and in the air, and has enough space to carry both a pilot and passenger.

“You can drive like a car with your normal car, then you can fly like a plane but in one vehicle, says PAL-V CEO Robert Dingemanse.” So if you want to fly over a mountain you can do that and then drive at the other end and go to your destination or fly over water or past a traffic jam, of course. All those kind of things are possible now,” explained Dingemanse, giving but a few examples of how integrated flight and traditional vehicle technology can provide an unprecedented level of freedom.

Perhaps one of the most impressive aspects of the PAL-V is that the flying car is legal both on the roads and in the air — meeting existing international standards for land and air travel. All you need is a driver’s and pilot’s license and you’re ready for takeoff.

The three-wheeled PAL-V has been in development since 2008 and is currently looking for interest outside the commercial realm to allow the concept to take flight. Dingemanse is also hoping to attract the attention of military and emergency service sectors into potentially using the flying-car outside the commercial market.

According to the company, the PAL-V is set to go into production sometimes in 2014 with no official pricing laid out as of yet, although we imagine it will probably be as high as the vehicle can fly. 

Check out the video of the PAL-V in action:

Editors' Recommendations

Amir Iliaifar
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Associate Automotive Section Editor for Digital Trends, Amir Iliaifar covers the ever increasing cross-section between tech…
Alpine sale: Up to $160 off speakers and subs for your car
alpine speaker sale crutchfield march 2024 car and amp setup on table

If you’re looking to kit your car out with some superior speakers or a subwoofer, Crutchfield is the place to go today. Right now, there’s a huge sale on Alpine subwoofers and speakers with nearly 50 different items forming the sale. As there are so many options, the best idea is to hit the button below to see what’s around. If you don’t know where to start though, read on while we take you through some great items in the sale.

What to shop for in the Alpine sale
Buying the best aftermarket car speakers are important for anyone who spends a lot of time on the road and is currently dealing with a mediocre sound system. One good starting point in the Alpine sale is the 2-way speakers for $104 instead of $130. You get two 2-way speakers with a polypropylene/glass fiber/mica woofer with a specialized rubber surround. There’s a one-inch silk dome tweeter with speakers able to handle up to 80 watts RMS with 240 watts peak power. The grilles aren’t included but the factor ones should be fine for most purposes.

Read more
Mercedes to trial humanoid robots for ‘low-skill, repetitive, demanding’ jobs
Apptronik's Apollo robot at work in an auto plant.

Humanoid robots have been coming on leaps and bounds in recent years, and some major companies are starting to take note.

Mercedes-Benz, for example, has just entered into an agreement with Texas-based robotics specialist Apptronik to collaborate on identifying applications for highly advanced robots that the auto giant could deploy. The deal will involve a trial that will see Apptronik's Apollo humanoid robot work alongside Mercedes' human workers on the factory floor.

Read more
Hyundai Ioniq 9: price, release date, range, and more
Hyundai Ioniq 9 Front

Hyundai has been at the forefront of EV development for a while now, largely thanks to the success of the crossover-sized Hyundai Ioniq 5. But the company is readying another new EV that could be even more popular than the Ioniq 5 -- or at least more desirable in the U.S., the land of big cars.

The upcoming Ioniq 9, previously set to be called the Ioniq 7, will be Hyundai's take on an electric SUV. It will be to Hyundai what the Kia EV9 is to Kia. It will have three rows and carry over design elements from the Ioniq 5.

Read more