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If you think that we’re still decades away from having flying cars traversing the atmosphere, you’ve probably not kept up with the latest news in aviation. While we still probably won’t see any by next year, there are a lot of companies working on testing out their respective technologies when it comes to developing electric flying vehicles. An Austrian startup is looking at letting a demonstrator fly by next year.

Designer: CycloTech

CycloTech is developing the Blackbird demonstrator that will be using a new propulsion system that will hopefully revolutionize how we will be looking at the potential of flying cars. The CycloRotor technology is the only system right now that can control the thrust vector in a full circular path (360°). This means it can brake and stop in mid-air, which will eventually be important when our airspace becomes busy.

The six 7th generation CycloRotors that will be part of the demonstrator will be able to do vertical take-off and landing and also have control in all directions. It will even be able to do parallel parking and mid-air braking/deceleration. Passengers will be able travel comfortably as the flight path and aircraft orientation will give them a stable flight even if they may encounter turbulence.

As a nervous flyer, I probably will not be falling in line to try this out when it will become commercially available. There are still a lot of safety issues that they will have to overcome but having six CycloRotors in the flying car may be a step towards safety as it can ensure the vehicle will continue to fly in case there’s an engine failure. They’re already looking at the first quarter of 2025 for the first flight of the electrically powered demonstrator. It looks nothing like what they’re envisioning the eventual flying car to be like though. For now, the demonstrator looks like a drone but eventually we’ll get the Jetsons-like flying cars of our dreams.

The post Blackird demonstrator may show the future of flying cars first appeared on Yanko Design.

You must have heard a lot of hue and cry about electric vehicles. How they reduce carbon emissions, and how governments are incentivizing citizens to adopt EVs as the new mode of transportation. Silently in the background, more impactful zero-emission vehicles – that emit only water vapor – are doing the rounds, but are much rarer at this time. These are hydrogen-powered vehicles that remain in the shadow of EVs but are not too far from becoming the potent future.

An embodiment of which are the first hydrogen-powered VTOL aircrafts by Sirius Aviation AG, which made their global debut at the MOVE Expo in London recently. Conceived to be the epitome of luxury and sustainability, the new Sirius clean energy aircrafts can bring a paradigm shift in the private air travel experience with high-end design and zero-emission tech.

Designer: Sirius Aviation AG

Sirius has unveiled two hydrogen-powered VTOL aircraft: CEO Jet model and an Adventure Jet version. These are made in collaboration with BMW’s Designworks and the Sauber Group and are likely to make their first official flights with humans onboard in 2025. Yes, these thrilling aircrafts are designed to carry humans. More on that below.

The CEO Jet for instance is, as the name gives up, the high-end executive aircraft of the two. Unlike the Adventure version designed for thrill seekers, the CEO is aligned with business travel needs in mind. It can accommodate three passengers and is meant for point-to-point landings with top speeds of up to 323 mph and a range of 1,150 miles. The interior of the CEO Jet is outfitted with tan brown leather, ambient lighting, and a large window for panoramic views outside. A bezel-less monitor is also installed to display flight information.

The adventure model of the VTOL is designed for five passengers and a pilot to glide over jungles and mountains, exploring the unexplored from unseen heights, for over 650 miles on a single charge. The rugged aircraft is equipped with off-grid abilities, it also has emergency landing gear including floaters for landing on the water. Both aircrafts have 28 ducted fans, 20 of which are located along the wings while the remaining eight are positioned in the canard. All of these are driven by separate electric motors.