Porsche, the famous German sports car manufacturer, is making something which has been the staple of science-fiction movies and human imagination for a long time – flying cars.
According to the German publication Automobilwoche, the company has already produced mockups of potential designs, which it should unveil in the near future.
The passenger drones won’t require a pilot’s license for the driver, a simple driver’s license should suffice. That’s because the flight feature will, for the most part, be machine-controlled, reducing human error and making the overall experience a lot safer.
Potential Time Savings
The speed and time savings should be enough for a lot of people to bear the extra cost for the drone. According to Porsche sales chief, a flight via an aircraft between Porsche’s plant in Zuffenhausen and Stuttgart takes just “three and a half minutes”, compared to around half an hour via road.
Passenger drones have been popping up for quite some time. Engadget reports that Volkswagen has partnered with Airbus on a Pop.Up flying car concept in August 2017. The car and wings compartments are separate, with the latter available on demand.
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Daimler and Volvo’s Solutions
Competitors Daimler and Volvo are backing and acquiring technologies of their own, while the Chinese company EHang has already shown a video of its one and two-seater drones going through tough tests. The company plans to take an international flight of its largely automated drone in 2018.
It is clear that Porsche, which hasn’t got a prototype yet, will be facing tough competition from day one. Keep watching this space for any developments on this front.
