Meet ASKA: the flying car that is currently driving on Californian roads.

The car features propellers and a folding wing and is designed to fit into standard parking spots and use traditional car charging stations.

 Another flying car has received approval to start conducting flight tests. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted the California-based ASKA special airworthiness certification to perform test flights of its four-seater passenger vehicle.

The vehicle has big wings and propellers that fold in and lie on top of it when it is on the ground, making it completely roadworthy as well.

Where did it originate?

Subscale models were used by the company to begin product development in 2018, and now that its larger-than-life prototype has been approved, flight testing can proceed. The SUV-sized aircraft had its public debut this January at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and since then, it has been driving about Silicon Valley, undergoing testing and gathering information for the most recent certification.

The FAA has given the functioning prototype permission to begin the type certification procedure in preparation for commercialization, along with a Certificate of Authorization. With the issuance of this Special Airworthiness Certificate, ASKA A5 can now conduct authorized hover tests after satisfactorily meeting all FAA safety standards. The company's founders were the only ones who Simple Flying spoke to regarding the latest certification and the organization's future plans. ASKA Chairman and COO Maki Kaplinsky expressed her eagerness to continue the certification process:

"We are very excited that we are doing the flight tests. We are gathering the data, and we are making good progress for the next milestone of our type certification, which is G-1."

To guarantee that it satisfies the airworthiness and environmental standards required to obtain FAA Type Certification Validation, the aircraft must undergo a lengthy testing and certification process.

How does it function?

The ASKA prototype has folding wings that enable it to glide, in contrast to other eVTOLs. In case of emergency, the aircraft also has a ballistic parachute.

It is intended to go at a top speed of 125 mph and is propelled by six motors that are completely independent of one another for increased safety and redundancy. The flying automobile, which has a 250-mile flying range, also features a conventional fuel engine to supply the 30-minute reserve power needed by the FAA. Utilising premium fuel from ordinary petrol stations, the range extender engine charges the batteries while the aircraft is in flight.

The company indicated that it anticipates users of the vehicle, which has a maximum seating capacity of three passengers in addition to the pilot, would be needed to possess a private pilot's license. 

The car is intended to complete the first and last miles on the road while flying for the majority of the commute. With the help of its wings and tilting rotors, it can take off conventionally and vertically on a runway.

As a result of this new certification, ASKA is currently testing its hover prototype to collect the necessary information for further development.

How safe are flying cars?

After the aircraft is completed, there is still a long process before the FAA can completely certify it. Even in non-experimental categories, approval for completed aircraft is frequently delayed for more than two years. While they go through the testing and demonstration flights required for FAA Certification, finished aircraft like Boeing's 777X have been flying for years.

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