Flying Car Company Gets OK for More Test Flights

The flying car that last year was authorized for test flights has now also been approved for test flying for a second year.

California startup Aska received another experimental airworthiness certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) following its inspection, according to Aska co-founder and chairman Maki Kaplinsky.

The four-passenger flying car already had been given approval to drive on public roads.

The full-scale prototype of the Aska A5 road-drivable electric-hybrid VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) received a certificate of waiver or authorization last year.

“To date, our A5 prototype, flown as an unmanned aircraft (UA), has successfully progressed through the hovering and VTOL phases, as well as driving and transitioning between the drive and flight modes,” said Kaplinsky in a statement. “We are continuing our hovering and VTOL flight testing, as well as continuing to work towards the next phases of our testing, which includes the transition to forward flight as well as runway takeoff and landing.’

The has authorization by the Department of Motor Vehicles to do road testing on public roads.

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

Credit: ASKA

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

Related:Flying Car Gets OK to Drive on Roads

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

The electric aerial vehicle (EAV) is designed to be parked in existing parking spaces and charged at EV charging stations.

The FAA 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.