Dutch advanced air mobility firm PAL-V has received an order for 100 units of its Liberty ‘flying car’ from Dubai-based Aviterra, an aerospace firm backed by the owners of executive aviation firm Jetex.
The Liberty flying car is a hybrid vehicle that can be driven on roads but can also fly. The vehicle is capable of being converted from ground driving to flying mode in around five minutes, ie the time it takes to unfold the rotor blades kept folded on the roof. (Technically, Liberty is actually a gyroplane, a technology whereby an unpowered rotor provides lift through its autorotation.)
The Liberty has a range of 500 km and it is capable of a maximum speed of 180 km/h when flying. Its retail price is in the region of €800,000.
PAL-V and Aviterra recently signed an agreement by which Aviterra would become the exclusive distributor of PAL-V flying cars in the Middle East and Africa. As part of this deal, Aviterra will also become an investor in the Dutch company, through its investment arm Loggia Investment.