A California company has received FAA certification for its flying car

For decades, futurists have dreamed of flying cars, with little progress in the real world. Now, a company has moved a step closer towards making that vision a reality by getting government approval to test its sports car.

California-based aeronautics company Aleph recently announced that it has received special airworthiness certification from the Federal Aviation Administration, allowing it to fly the car in confined spaces.

The FAA told CBS MoneyWatch that the company’s Armada Model Zero aircraft received certification on June 12. “This certificate allows the aircraft to be used for limited purposes, including exhibition, research and development. This is not the first aircraft of its kind for which the FAA has issued a special certificate of airworthiness,” the agency said in a statement.

Aleph’s founders began working on the project in 2015, the year it was named after the classic sci-fi film “Back to the Future II” — which featured flying cars — and a project was completed late last year. The prototype was unveiled. Its first vehicle, called the Model A, is a street-legal car that can drive on roads and park in a standard parking space.

The company said that it can take off vertically and can fly in any direction in the wind. According to Aleph, the vehicle has a flying range of 110 miles and a driving range of 200 miles.

Achieving FAA certification “allows us to get one step closer to providing people with an environmentally friendly and fast commute, saving individuals and companies hours each week,” said Jim Duchovny, CEO of Aleph. Said in a statement.

The all-electric ride is priced at $300,000, with a more expensive hydrogen option offering longer range. According to the company, one or two people live in it.

Sleek and gray, and resembling a sports car, the vehicle features hidden propellers and a gimbal driving cabin to stabilize the driver and passenger.

According to its website, the company aims to create “the fastest and most convenient transportation ever from point of origin to final destination”, calling its product a “solution to modern congestion issues”.

company in January Said It received 440 pre-orders for the $300,000 vehicle, with production and delivery scheduled to begin in late 2025.

Aleph is also working on a four-person sedan, which the company promises to release in 2035.