In The Netherlands, another company has created what is being called the world’s first commercial flying car – the Pal-V One Liberty. The company recently announced the car’s on sale price – £425,000, with the first customer deliveries scheduled for the end of 2018.
The Pal-V’s frame is made with a combination of carbon fiber, aluminum and titanium. In total, the flying car has a maximum takeoff weight of 2,006 lbs. It can reach a maximum speed of 100 mph and has an 817-mile range. It’s also relatively eco-friendly at 31miles per gallon.
Finally, in the U.S., a Louisiana-based company, SkyRunner LLC, has created what it’s calling the world’s first flying off-road vehicle. The vehicle features a “hybrid composite chassis” consisting of carbon fiber body composites which work in tandem with air-hardened, heat-treated steel tubing. The chassis, according to SkyRunner, gives their vehicle a great strength-to-weight ratio.
The vehicle’s Polaris ProStar 1000 engine powers the ground system while a light-sport aircraft engine enables it to take flight. It uses parafoil wing technology to reach air speeds of 40 mph for a distance of 120 nautical miles.
“We set out to build the ultimate adventure vehicle but have since discovered it fills tremendous gaps as a tool,” said SkyRunner CEO Stewart Hamel. “Designed initially as a toy, the market has translated SkyRunner to be a low cost, high utility multimodal tool for ranchers, law enforcement, border security, and even department of defense agencies. With operating costs of approximately $50 an hour, SkyRunner will take you places no pickup truck or UTV can go and at a fraction of the cost of a helicopter.”
