US tests vertical take-off and landing flying car

After successful testing, the TF-X will provide a solution for densely populated cities with frequent traffic congestion such as Beijing, Bangkok, Manila, New Delhi and New York.

The TF-X is considered the car of the future. Photo: Terrafugia.

Terrafugia, a company founded by aerospace engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), will test an unmanned flying car. The company has received approval from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to conduct test flights of the TF-X flying car in early December.

According to Tech Insider, Terrafugia decided to shrink the size of the prototype down to 1/10 of the design. Shaped like a bullet with black and white tones, the TF-X has two side panels that can be opened on both sides.

Using helicopter-like twin propellers at the tips of its wings to lift the vehicle, the TF-X doesn’t need a runway to take off. Once airborne, the vehicle is powered by a 300-horsepower engine and electric motors. The propellers fold up and the ventilation fan propels the TF-X through the air at a speed of 320 km/h over a range of 800 km.

According to Terrafugia representatives, the TF-X is a 4-seat, semi-autonomous gasoline-electric flying car that can take off and land vertically. The car will undergo several years of testing and improvement before it is available on the market. The small test version must achieve stability before Terrafugia can mass produce it. The FAA allows the company to conduct test flights at an altitude of 120 m at a speed of 16 km/h.

According to VnExpress