This image reminds us of a back-to-future auto with seamless transition from street to air. However, hurdles remain in the real world including safety, flight control, and of course batteries. The Nippon Electric Company NEC has been showing off a vertical takeoff and landing vehicle. Although to be honest this is more of a hover car at present.
A Hover Car for Drone Deliveries It Seems
We couldn’t help noticing a rope unraveling on the ground as the two seater taxi-size hover car tentatively took to the air. Would some brave soul grasp it to restrain the autonomous electric vehicle? Would we? You bet we would not, even though the demonstration was in an enclosure of sorts.
The Japanese government has plans to use drones to recover the devastated Fukushima area as radioactive levels subside. However the Nippon Electric Company has a way to go still with battery life. The short demo took much longer than the safety checks and re-checks. We guess they have to start somewhere. We are glad they did.
A Promising Future Role for NEC’s EVtol Car
EVtol is short for electric vehicle vertical takeoff and landing aircraft so another acronym to learn. CBC Canada mentions NEC saying their they designed their EVtol hover car for unmanned flights for deliveries. But it also utilizes the company’s technology in its other operations such as space travel and cybersecurity, they say.
Cybersecurity remains a mystery in our minds at least. Answers on a postcard please remember the stamp. We know UBER is planning demonstrator flights next year, and commercial operations by 2023. Whether we would fly in a drone with ‘driverless capabilities’ is another question. One last one, surely you mean pilotless capabilities NEC we ask? Cars drive on roads, drones fly in the air.
Nobody bothered about minor details in the Back to the Future movie. That was sheer exhilaration. Flying cars and motoring aircraft will get there eventually for sure.
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