Boeing's flying car takes off

According to Bloomberg, Boeing's autonomous passenger flying car prototype has just completed a controlled takeoff, hover, and landing in a test that took place in Manassas, Virginia.The US manufacturer of passenger and military aircraft said the flying car is electric, with a model designed entirely for autonomous flights with a range of more than 80 km.

Boeing's flying car prototype in Manassas, Virginia (USA)

Boeing and Airbus are two of many companies working on flying cars and cargo drones, two products that could change the aviation and aerospace industries in the future. Boeing acquired Aurora Flight Sciences in 2017, which has several projects, including a new flying taxi being developed for Uber Technologies.

Many other companies are also rushing to develop flying cars for the future market. For example, Vahana, a self-driving flying taxi developed by A3, Airbus’s Silicon Valley-based technology hub, took to the skies last year. Intel and EHang are also testing flying vehicles.

Analysts at Morgan Stanley predict flying car technology could become a $2.9 trillion industry by 2040. At its most optimistic, it could be worth $615 billion.

Boeing NeXt, Boeing's urban mobility subsidiary, is working with Aurora to design and develop the flying car prototype that was tested. The company did not say whether the flying car was developed specifically for Uber.

Boeing’s NeXt portfolio also includes an electric cargo aircraft designed to carry up to 500 pounds of cargo. The cargo aircraft completed its first indoor flight last year and is scheduled to test outdoors this year. Boeing’s flying car will undergo more flight modes and testing to improve safety and reliability.