FLY.PT: Portugal’s flying car project to conquer road and sky

Science-fiction films from our childhood and teenage years led many of us to believe that, by 2024, our skies would already be filled with flying cars. That has not happened, yet a number of ongoing programmes are still trying to turn the idea into something real - and progress continues to be made.

Alongside initiatives backed by car makers such as Hyundai and China’s XPeng, Portugal is also exploring a future in which the “flying car” becomes a practical reality. One of the clearest examples is the FLY.PT project.

FLY.PT flying car project in Portugal

FLY.PT brings together a consortium of companies and research centres, representing an investment of €8 million. Its aim is to help “revolutionise national air transport”.

Conquering land and air

At its core, FLY.PT is about developing “an autonomous, electric personal air-transport system” that stands out not only because it can fly, but also because it can drive on the road like a conventional car.

A modular vehicle designed for air and road use

This dual capability is possible because the vehicle is modular, combining vertical/aerial mobility with horizontal/terrestrial mobility.

In practical terms, it is made up of three modules. There is a cabin that can carry up to two people, which then connects to one of two alternative modules. One option enables flight and takes the form of an autonomous drone with 30 minutes of autonomy. The other option is a “skate”-type chassis that integrates the electric propulsion unit.

Whether the cabin is attached to the drone or to the automotive chassis, the FLY.PT vehicle is always electric and fully autonomous.

Testing, integration and certification work

The team has tested and developed “propulsion elements, energy storage, autonomy, coupling and integration, industrial design and usage concepts”. In addition, ISQ - which took part in the prototype’s development - also tested it through mechanical and ballistic trials.

Will we see FLY.PT reach the real world?

So-called flying cars could very well become a feature of mega-cities in the near future. Perhaps not as privately owned vehicles, but they could open up multiple opportunities across different business areas, including the transport of people or small goods.

That direction aligns with the ambition of FLY.PT, which “aims to develop products and services in an integrated way and with a single global vision”, by combining the cabin with autonomous vehicles (air and ground).

Now, it remains a matter of waiting for further developments.