The PAL-V ONE, which looks like a cross between a three-wheeler and a helicopter, uses a rear-mounted propeller to take off and a free-spinning rotor on top for lift. Made by PAL-V in the Netherlands, it needs about 200 meters to take off and costs nearly $300,000. If the price comes down and a reasonable way can be found to keep skyborne vehicles separated, we may at last see a world that is somewhat akin to the one depicted in the futuristic cartoon.

8 Comments

1. 1. alan6302 10:00 AM 12/19/12

   A future vehicle will be more like a rubber raft that floats in the air.

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2. 2. RSchmidt 03:43 PM 1/8/13

   It is an autogyro. Very cool. What kind of license would you need for that, private pilot or helicopter?

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3. 3. tomgarven 04:01 PM 1/8/13

   Gyro copters below 254 lbs. can be flown without any license. However training is highly recommended unless of course you have some weird death wish thing going on. Above 254 lbs. a sport pilot or pilots license is required.
   
   Would I spend this much for a gyro plane? Don't think so at least not right now because for that amount of money I can hire a very attractive chauffeur. However, if money was no object and I wanted a gyro just for the fun of flying - why not.
   

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4. 4. Crooked Bridges in reply to priddseren 08:48 PM 1/8/13

   priddseren
   
   couldn't agree more.
   Why do people persist with this notion of flying 'cars'.
   If you want to fly yourself around then get trained, get licenced and buy an aeroplane
   
   Mick

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5. 5. tomgarven in reply to priddseren 11:40 PM 1/8/13

   Excellent posting. Before I take to the air in a gyro, maybe Google will loan me one of their self-driving cars.
   Being closer to the ground seems a whole lot safer, LOL.

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6. 6. RSchmidt 11:44 PM 1/8/13

   @Crooked Bridges, the problem is, when you fly to your destination what do you use to drive around? I agree though that this is likely a case of doing two things poorly rather than providing one great solutions. Ultimately this isn't a flying car, it is a flying motorcycle. But if I had the bucks and time it would be a great way to see the country. I can even see it being useful for my commute, fly on good weather days drive on bad. But ultimately it is a toy.
   
   There is an initiative to making flying as easy as driving called highways in the sky or something like that. With the coming of self driving cars and a long history of autopilot, is self flying and landing private aircraft far off?

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7. 7. Soccerdad 12:03 AM 1/9/13

   What we really want to know, in the words of Tim Wilson, is where the F*#& is my jetpack?

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8. 8. jerryd 07:15 PM 1/9/13

   
   for $300k I can have a real helicopter/MC custom made and have $250k left over.
   
   But $300k for an Autogyro is a big joke.
   
   Next it's not legal to take off or land on a road and 200' is just geting off the ground. And nothing about powerlines either.

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