PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Flying cars got a lot of buzz this past week, from the unveiling of a prototype craft to a summit on airborne ride sharing.
“This science fiction dream — this idea of a personal aircraft that maybe one day we can use to commute to work — it’s getting a little bit real.”
READ MORE: Muncy's Error Allows Phillies To Rally Past DodgersIncrementally, anyway, says Bloomberg’s Brad Stone.
The ‘Flyer’ made by Kitty Hawk, a startup backed by Google co-founder Larry Page is more of a jet ski-meets-human-sized drone than a car, it’s designed to work over water.
“This is a single-person vehicle, said Stone. “It doesn’t really conform to the dream that some people and some companies have — that these could be flying autonomous taxis to take us to and from work. This looks a little bit more like a recreational vehicle.”
READ MORE: At Least 5 People Killed In Several Shootings From Saturday To Sunday In Philadelphia: PoliceMost ‘flying cars’ are based on VTOL or Vertical Take-Off and Landing, where no runway is needed.
An Airbus concept has a quadcopter that enables a passenger pod to detach from its road-bound undercarriage and take flight.
For the Kitty Hawk Flyer, no pilot’s license is needed.
The company says government has OK’d it for flying in ‘uncongested areas.’
MORE NEWS: Arrest Made After Quadruple Stabbing In Philadelphia’s Nicetown Section Leaves 4 Men Injured, Police SayIt could be on sale by the end of the year, but there’s no price tag yet.
