The first prototype and test flight of the flying car AirCar, of which the domestic technology company Softtech is both an investor and a developer, has completed.
According to the news in Habertürk, the flying car AirCar, of which Softtech is a technology investor, whose first prototype and test flight was completed in February 2021, is designed as an electric and 100 percent autonomous vehicle. AirCar, whose fully autonomous flight and artificial intelligence systems were developed by Softtech, is aimed to have a range of 80 kilometers with a single passenger capacity and 50 kilometers with a two passenger capacity.
It is planned to be in the skies of Istanbul in 2025
According to the information given, AirCar, designed as an electric and 100 percent autonomous vehicle, will be a flying car with 8 propellers and a capacity of two passengers. The curb weight of the vehicle, which can reach 50 kilometers with two passengers and 80 kilometers with one passenger, is 250 kilograms.
It is aimed to produce cargo and air rescue vehicle versions of the vehicle, which will offer a carrying capacity of up to 450 kilograms with passengers, in 2023-2024. Planned to be ready to fly in the skies of Istanbul in 2025, the next target of AirCar is to start working on a 4-seater version of the flying car.
“We are now very close to flying cars that look like dreams”
Stating that more than 300 startups in the world are working on electric flying cars and 30 percent of them aim to start commercial air taxi service in the next 5 years, Softtech General Manager M. Murat Ertem said, “We are now very close to flying cars that seem like a dream.”
Ertem stated that the software, flight, autonomous driving, artificial intelligence, in-vehicle communication as well as the flight planning processes are working from end to end, and that the Softtech team works as follows:
“The world is rapidly moving towards a future where flying cars travel in the sky. We have invested in the future of the world with AirCar. I believe that there is a unique experience opportunity for the team we created specifically for AirCar as part of our cooperation that started about 2 years ago.”
Stating that they are partners in AirCar’s strategy of providing competitive advantage with autonomous software and pilotless “full autonomous” flight, Ertem stated that the prototyping of all modules that enable the vehicle to fly autonomously between targeted take-off and landing notes and to protect itself from all dangers that may occur during this time has been completed.
“We plan to solve the traffic problem with two-seater, electric and autonomous flying cars”
Stating that AirCar is an initiative established in 2017 to solve the traffic problem in cities by air, AirCar Founder Eray Altunbozar said:
“We are planning to solve the traffic problem in cities with two-seater, electric and autonomous flying cars. One of the most important parts of this system is software. While we were looking for a team to develop the software of AirCar in 2019, we crossed paths with Softtech. Our cooperation started with only personnel support in the first place. has reached the level of partnership today. We aim to develop AirCar with fully autonomous systems and make it a leading company in the field of software and autonomous systems.”
