Countries around the world are making a full-fledged start to the development of flying cars.
A FLYING CAR IS A FLYING PERSONAL VEHICLE (PAV). IT LOOKS LIKE A CAR OR A HELICOPTER, BUT YOU CAN RUN ON THE ROAD AND FLY WITH YOUR WINGS SPREAD OUT IN THE RIGHT SPACE. IN THIS RESPECT, IT IS DISTINGUISHED FROM HELICOPTERS AND DRONES.
IN THE HOLLYWOOD SCI-FI FILM BLADE RUNNER 2049, WHICH WAS RELEASED IN 2017, PEOPLE COULD SEE THE FLYING CAR FOR THE FIRST TIME, ALBEIT ON SCREEN. THIS IS BECAUSE FLYING CARS HAVE EMERGED AS A MEANS OF LAND IN THE CITY, AND THERE IS LESS NOISE AND A FREE MOVEMENT, ALLOWING YOU TO TRAVEL FREELY BETWEEN BUILDINGS.
the world’s leader in flying car development is uber, an American automaker that is currently developing an uber elevator. french aircraft manufacturer airbus, British rolls-Royce, and luxury sports car company Aston martin have also emerged as fierce competitors.
Hyundai motors were the first to start in Korea, but recently, large Korean airlines have jumped into the latter market. global automotive companies around the world are focusing their efforts on developing flying cars because of their economics.
morgan Stanley, an official at the u.s. the investment bank predicted that “by 2040, the urban aviation mobility market will reach $1.5 trillion (about 1,800 trillion won). global companies that are in the market preemption are announcing commercialization in 2025. however, it is true that no one can guarantee the timing because administrative and technical difficulties are still blocking the front.
flying cars of various models appeared
flying vehicles are divided into two main types, one helicopter drone and one for patrol aircraft, depending on the possible vertical takeoff and landing.
IN THE CASE OF HELICOPTER DRONES, THE SAME APPLIES WHEN LANDING, USING PROPELLERS OR ROTORS TO RAISE THE WIND VERTICALLY AND TAKE OFF. THIS IS ALSO CALLED A VERTICAL TAKEOFF AND LANDING AIRCRAFT (VTOL). NO RUNWAY IS REQUIRED, AND AUTONOMOUS FLIGHT VIA REMOTE ADJUSTMENT IS POSSIBLE WITHOUT A PILOT AFTER TAKEOFF.
in comparison, in the case of a guard plane type, it runs on the runway and takes off using the lift of the wing when acceleration is attached, so it is similar to an airplane. vertical takeoff and landing are not possible, which has the disadvantage of requiring a runway. on the other hand, landing can be driven like a regular car.
currently, the flying car market is home to some of the world’s leading automotive and aviation companies. along the way, various models were applied to the characteristics of flying cars. regardless of the variety of models, however, the core components of flying cars are batteries, and experts predict that the development of fuel cells will be the fiercest competitive factor for companies.
the variables of flying cars are hydrogen fuel cells
there are still technical challenges to overcome in the commercialization of flying cars on sky roads. batteries are a part that accounts for a significant portion of the weight of a flying car. therefore, it must be small and light. however, if you want to injure more than 200 kilograms of flying cars and fly around, the battery will naturally be large. resolving this contradiction remains a challenge.
The alternative to this is hydrogen fuel cells. A fuel cell is a battery method that separates hydrogen gas into hydrogen ions and (H +) electrons (e-) through an oxidative reaction, and again combines electrons, hydrogen ions, and oxygen through a reduction reaction to create a flow of current in the process of making water.
hydrogen fuel cells are more efficient than their size and can be dispersed, making them useful for flying cars that use more than six engines. with only three technologies: battery, control, and storage, there is no problem applying the flying car.
however, experts say that “mass production of hydrogen is difficult, and the unique risks make it difficult to build storage infrastructure yet.” in the flying car era, future passengers want a pleasant and comfortable flight with a cup of coffee. the challenges of development are solely up to the developers who are in the market.
