Flying Car Getting off the Ground; Road Drivable

The Aska flying car is getting off the ground in tethered, unmanned flight tests with its full-scale prototype.

The Aska A5 roadable electric hybrid vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL ) vehicle, authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for test flights, has been progressing through low-altitude tests.

The test flights took place up to 200 feet off the ground in a private airfield in California with more than 350 tethered flight tests conducted, according to the company.

The tethered flight tests are the first stage, to be followed by conventional flight and transitioning from vertical to horizontal flight.

The four-passenger flying car already had been approved by the Department of Motor Vehicles to drive on public roads, with more than 500 miles of road testing completed.

The SUV-size vehicle has large wings and propellers that can fold and rest on top of the vehicle.

The flying vehicle has a flight range of up to 250 miles with speeds up to 150 mph, according to the company.

The full-scale prototype of the Aska A5 road-drivable VTOL received a certificate of waiver or authorization last year.

It has six motor systems, each with its own battery power source.

The vehicle is designed to be parked in existing parking spaces and charged at EV charging stations.

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The FAA recently also last year approved Alef Aeronautics to test its $300,000 electric flying car.

Both Aska and Alef have been offering pre-orders of the flying vehicles, though the future time of ultimate FAA approval, a complex road ahead, has yet to be determined.

Aska said it has received pre-orders worth more than $50 million.

Aska and Alef Aeronautics are among a growing number of companies developing and testing flying vehicles to carry either things or people.