Isn’t modern technology the enabler of the gadgets of the future? How about the flying cars we saw in the Blade Runner movies and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets? When will we be able to fly around in a Ford Mondeo? Sure, it wouldn’t be too hard to build a flying car, as planes of all sizes are a common sight.
American neo-futurist concept artist and industrial engineer Syd Mead created the spinner that appeared in the first Blade Runner film in 1982. He could take off vertically, hover and cruise using jet propulsion like a VTOL aircraft today. Isn’t that all we wanted from a flying car?
If we agree, we’ll be delighted to know that some smart people have worked on similar designs. You will need a runway. That’s not ideal, is it? Imagine the chaos that results from a car randomly taking off from your neighborhood runway!
That’s why companies are focusing on designing flying cars that don’t need a runway to take off. Vertical take-off is a hallmark of the Harrier “jump jet” and has become a mainstay of many air forces around the world, but has yet to find its place in civilian practice, with the exception of helicopters. The cost of development and the high level of pilot training he has to operate is an obstacle to its mass adoption.
Another desirable feature of our flying car is autopilot. It’s the newest plane, and even Tesla has it in some form. However, autopilot systems are very dangerous because they are unable to make the right decisions in unforeseen situations. This is important because unexpected events are likely to occur while the vehicle is in the air. The acoustic effects of flying cars taking off and landing in cities is another important unsolved problem. Hundreds of these vehicles operating quietly are essential to prevent cities from becoming uninhabitable.
Modern technology has come a long way, but it has yet to reach the heights needed to make flying cars a reality. It’s not a question of if, but when it will be, and until then let our dreams fly.
