Those who grew up in the 1960s may remember the classic Hanna-Barbera cartoon ‘The Jetsons’, depicting a near-future where flying cars roam the skies.
While this may sound like pure fantasy, experts in Austria say their new vehicle will take to the air within just a few months – heralding a new milestone in passenger transport.
CycloTech, an aviation firm based in Linz, has unveiled Blackbird, a flying taxi that uses a futuristic boat-inspired all-electric propulsion system.
Blackbird has ‘360-degree manoeuvrability’ thanks to a system of rotors that go round and round like the classic ‘Voith Schneider’ propeller on a ship.
Measuring 16 feet (4.9 metres) long and with a maximum take-off weight of 340kg, the aircraft carries two people through the air at up to 74 mph (120 km per hour).
While still in development, Blackbird is expected to be completed by the end of this month, while the first flight of a full-scale prototype is planned by the end of March next year.
Later this decade, humans could hail an Uber-style trip on Blackbird and be transported distances much quicker than traditional cars on the ground.
Flying taxis like Blackbird could travel through the air almost without stopping – a blessed relief from the start-stop nature of ground-based taxi trips.
Blackbird – which is being built by Austrian company CycloTech – carries two people as it powers through the air at up to 74 mph (120 km per hour). CycloTech imagines a near-future where Blackbird and other flying vehicles transport passengers from their homes
Fans of classic 1960s Hanna-Barbera cartoon ‘The Jetsons’ will know it is set in a comical future where flying cars roam the skies
It’s unclear how much CycloTech has spent on its Blackbird vehicle, although the firm secured $21.8 million (£17.2 million) in funding earlier this year to bring it closer to market.
MailOnline has contacted the company for more information.
As the company’s renders show, Blackbird has six sets of electric rotors that spin in a circle – known ‘cyclorotors’ – which are inspired by marine propulsion systems.
As they rotate, the cyclorotors create an upward thrust that are powerful enough to launch BlackBird vertically into the air and keep it there.
What’s more, by slightly adjusting the position of each rotor blade, the direction of thrust can be changed, allowing ‘easy transition from hover to forward flight’.
‘With our Blackbird, we are showing how this innovative technology will open up the market for flying cars,’ said Hans-Georg Kinsky, CEO of CycloTech.
‘CycloTech is the only company in the world currently working on the commercial application of cyclorotors as the main propulsion system.’
CycloTech says the entire system allows ‘precise control in all directions’, including mid-air braking and deceleration, as well as parallel parking as it approaches the ground.
Blackbird has six sets of electric rotors that spin in a circle (‘cyclorotors’) – two at the very front, two at the very back, one just in front of the cockpit and one just behind the cockpit
As they rotate, the cyclorotors create an upward thrust that are powerful enough to launch BlackBird into the air
Blackbird has ‘360-degree manoeuvrability’ thanks to a system of rotors that go round and round like the classic ‘Voith Schneider’ propeller on a ship (pictured here in file photo)
It can even brake suddenly in mid-air, which is still a crucial capability for flying vehicles even though airspace will be less cluttered than today’s roads.
The propulsion system also ensures ‘stability and a high level of passenger comfort’ even in challenging conditions such as high winds and rain.
CycloTech says it has opted for cyclorotors for its flying vehicle because they they enable ‘construction of compact aircraft that are half the size of those with propellers or rotors’.
Although Blackbird has six sets of rotors, Kinsky said it could ‘continue to fly in a controlled manner’ fly if one of them were to fail.
CycloTech’s promo images also suggest passengers can enjoy a level of luxury similar to a high-end sports car as they’re transported at up to 74mph.
A set of glass gull-wing doors, similar to those on the iconic DeLorean from ‘Back to the Future’, open on either side of the cockpit.
Meanwhile, a digital display welcomes passengers and provides key information such as speed and altitude.
Blackbird is a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, which means it can rise straight into the air rather than having to build speed along the ground first, reducing the overall need for runway space.
Although Blackbird has six sets of rotors, Kinsky said it could ‘continue to fly in a controlled manner’ fly if one of them were to fail
In the near future, Blackbird owners could use the vehicle for their commute, potentially parking on landing pads at the top of skyscrapers or dedicated spaces on the ground
The firm says: ‘The new BlackBird demonstrator, with a maximum take-off weight of 340 kg, is now in development and expected to be completed by the end of 2024’
In the near future, Blackbird owners could use the vehicle for their commute, potentially parking on landing pads at the top of skyscrapers or dedicated spaces on the ground.
Alternatively, passengers may be able to hail the aircraft on their smartphone, paying fees for a short trip across the city similar to Uber or Lyft.
CycloTech is one of many companies intent on making flying vehicles a reality, including British firms Vertical Aerospace and Bellwether.
Slovakian company KleinVision is working on its AirCar contraption that looks a bit like a racing car until it releases its retractable wings.
While seated in the quirky hybrid vehicle, French musician Jean-Michel Jarre and a pilot travelled around two miles in the space of 10 minutes over Piešťany Airport in Slovakia on April 12 this year.
Meanwhile, Electron Aviation which is based in the Netherlands, plans to launch a ‘sky-hailing service’ akin to Uber that users could book through an app.
Electron Aviation’s fleet of 186mph (300kph) battery-electric air taxis are expected to become a reality in Netherlands and the UK in 2027.