A flying car from SpaceX-backed mobility firm Alef Aeronautics has been granted certification by federal regulators, the first time such a vehicle has received “legal approval to fly” from the government.
Alef’s flying car has been granted an experimental special airworthiness certificate by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). An experimental certification is issued for vehicles for purposes like research and development, training of crews, market surveys, exhibitions, and showing compliance with regulations. This is the “first time a vehicle of this nature has received legal approval to fly from the US Government,” according to the California-based company’s June 27 press release.
The certification has been granted to Alef’s Armada Model Zero, the FAA told Flying magazine. Armada is a precursor to the company’s $300,000 Model A vehicle which was unveiled in October last year. “Our flights were very limited without this certification,” an Alef spokesperson told the outlet.
“This certification now gives us the ability to fly in locations we need (for example, near our headquarters in Silicon Valley) and purposes we need (like exhibition, for example).”
The Model A, which is currently on pre-sale, is a 100 percent electric vehicle that has vertical takeoff and landing capabilities. It is expected to be on sale by 2025.
Since the limited certification has been granted to its precursor model, the Model A will have to get a certification for flying from the FAA. In addition, it will also have to meet the safety standards as proposed by the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
“We’re excited to receive this certification from the FAA. It allows us to move closer to bringing people an environmentally friendly and faster commute, saving individuals and companies hours each week. This is a one small step for planes, one giant step for cars,” said Jim Dukhovny, CEO of Alef.
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