Are Flying Cars Coming Sooner Than We Expected?

If you want to ride a flying car, you might need more than a traditional helicopter or airplane pilot’s license. As reported by Flying, the FAA is modifying its pilot training regulations for eVTOLs. The objective is to create a special class framework to certify pilots for eVTOLs under the “powered-lift aircraft” category –- this is a shift in regulations since eVTOLS were previously categorized as “light aircraft”.

It’s not clear how FAA’s new regulations will change the flying car industry in the future, but it has been criticized by the General Aviation Manufacturer’s Association (GAMA). Speaking to Reuters, GAMA CEO and President Pete Bunce said that these new regulations would be “detrimental to safety” and would increase the FAA’s workload “dramatically,” adding that it’s a “bad policy for so many reasons.”

There is also the question of infrastructure for flying cars. According to McKinsey, most cities will first need to build expensive infrastructure for flying cars and eVTOLs, including space for take-offs and landings. When will it happen? We don’t know for sure. However, we know a few flying cars have successfully been tested and they could be available to the public as early as 2023.