A futuristic flying 'hypercar' designed for inner city travel that could reach speeds of 135 miles per hour at 3,000 feet has completed a successful test flight in Dubai.
London-based startup Bellwether Industries completed its test flight of the fully-electric Volar eVTOL prototype in November, but has only today revealed footage of the test.
The futuristic half-scale version flew at an altitude of 13 feet (4 metres) with a speed of 40 kilometres per hour (25 miles per hour), according to the firm.
The Bellwether Volar eVTOL prototype has been designed for private owners as a replacement for cars, freeing up space on the ground for cyclists and pedestrians and alleviating congestion, but it could also provide on-demand transport much like an Uber.
Availability is expected to be in 2028 for on-demand transport and 2030 for private ownership, which would allow users to fly to work for a luxury commute.
It says: 'We believe that people commuting in the sky is inevitable within the next 10 years.'
The company says the vehicle is the world's first without a large wingspan or exposed blades, making it ideal for urban use, although the firm is yet to confirm exactly how much it would set back customers.
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The vehicle is the world's first without a large wingspan or exposed blades, making it ideal for urban use, according to the London firm
The Bellwether Volar eVTOL prototype test flight in Dubai. London company Bellwether Industries today revealed footage of a successful flight test of a vehicle they say will replace cars
The futuristic half-scale version flew at an altitude of 13 feet (4 metres) with a speed of 40 kilometres per hour (25 miles per hour
Bellwether Industries' Volar eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) is a flying hypercar that will ultimately be available to private owners, but the firm is yet to reveal a price
The firm says: 'At Bellwether Industries, we believe that the human’s future will be in the air. Our mission is to provide the most compatible Urban Air Mobility (UAM) solution for intracity travels and private transportation'
Bellwether Industries was able to log eight test flights with its half-scale model during the recent Dubai session, following a year of indoor tethered flights.
The Dubai test flight demonstrated stability and controllability of the prototype and marks the start of a series of development projects, according to the firm.
The electric vehicle has a hidden propulsion system featuring ducted fans, avoiding any exposed spinning blades or a large wingspan.
It would charge just like an electric vehicle does on land – at dedicated charging points – although it will have to rely on a 'comprehensive infrastructure and transport system' to avoid falling out the sky when the charge is used up, the firm said.
The current prototype has just two seats, but the firm is set to begin development of a full-sized prototype in 2023 that will have four or five seats to fit entire families.
Its ultimate vision is a four-to-five-seater aircraft carrying out intracity travels at an altitude of 3,000 feet (915 metres) with a speed of up to 135 miles per hour (220 kilometres per hour).
'We want to create private urban aircraft for anyone to fly from anywhere to any point at any time,' said a spokesperson for the firm, which was founded in London in 2019.
'Our volar flies smoothly and proves our efforts that go into innovation and technology.'
