Flying Car Approved for Test Flights by FAA

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has given approval to Alef Aeronautics to test its flying car.

The $300,000 eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) craft is also designed to be driven on roads.

The company received a special airworthiness certification from the FAA to conduct test flights of its two-passenger vehicle.

"We're excited to receive this certification,” said Jim Dukhovny, Alef’s CEO. “It allows us to move closer to bringing people an environmentally friendly and faster commute, saving individuals and companies hours each week. This is one small step for planes, one giant step for cars." 

The California company, which is accepting pre-orders of the vehicles, said 440 were ordered in the last quarter of 2022. The vehicle sales would represent at least $132 million of revenue if delivered. 

The pre-orders include a large number by an aviation company in Hong Kong, according to Alef Aeronautics.

"Alef is aiming to deliver the first real flying car in history, and to receive so many early pre-orders is incredible validation of the market potential we're looking to satisfy," said Dukhovny. “We're extremely pleased to see orders from both individual and corporate consumers in such a short space of time after our unveiling. This is a great investment in the key sustainable transportation on the ground and in the air."

The flying vehicle is intended to fit within existing road systems for driving and parking.

Alef Aeronautics joins a growing number of companies designing, developing and testing flying vehicles. Some are aimed at carrying things while others are intended to carry people.