The U.S. Air Force plans to introduce its first electric flying car by 2023 with these expected to replace helicopters for some future roles.
The Air Force's flying car, the S4, an ultraquiet, electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft developed by California-based startup Joby Aviation.
Joby has been developing eVTOLs capable of carrying up to five people since 2009. They will be capable of traveling up to 240 kilometers on a single charge at a top speed of 320 kilometers an hour. Their biggest advantage is their near silent flight.
Joby eVTOLs are designed to be 100 times quieter during takeoff and landing compared with helicopters. Air Force flying cars will be used to shuttle troops and equipment into war zones.
The S4 recently passed the Air Force's technical airworthiness authority evaluation - which is the initial step that will allow the S4 "to fly under an Air Force contract in early 2021."
The Air Force hopes to begin fielding the S4 as early as 2023. It said the first tests will take place in Ohio, which is the location of the Air Force Research Lab.
The lab's innovation program said the Air Force's agility prime program, which is responsible for the flying car project, has cleared several regulations that move planning forward for its "organic resupply bus."
Upcoming ORB or eVTOL flights will give Air Force researchers more information to assess the utility of the eVTOL in missions like distributed logistics, medical evacuation, firefighting, disaster response, search and rescue and humanitarian-relief operations.
The Air Force might ultimately use a range of ORBs from larger eVTOLs for cargo and smaller ones solely for ferrying troops. It will also provide key flight test data to NASA - which is interested in eVTOL technologies for use in its lunar lander spacecraft.
"For the Air Force, specifically Air Mobility Command, agility prime has the potential to bring next generation agility to movement, delivery, sustainment and air medical evacuation to the battlespace," said Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost, commander of the Air Mobility Command at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.
Dr. Will Roper, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology and logistics, said the Air Force intended to operate 30 eVTOLs by the end of the decade. He also said the partnership between commercial industry and government to produce flying cars will benefit the domestic market.
