Tesla’s Roadster only hovers: Here are 6 flying cars that really take off

Tesla’s flying Roadster has plenty of competition. These six flying cars and personal aircraft have already taken to the skies, although replacing the family car remains some way off.

Tesla’s flying Roadster has reignited the debate over what qualifies as a flying car. Elon Musk is far from the first entrepreneur to promise that motorists will soon be able to escape traffic by taking to the skies.

Several manufacturers have already demonstrated vehicles capable of powered flight. Some even have wheels that serve a useful purpose beyond landing. And unlike Tesla’s hovering Roadster, these machines have demonstrated controlled flight.

Still, there is quite a way to go between getting airborne and delivering something customers can use.

Here are six contenders, ranging from flying sports cars to personal electric aircraft.

1. Samson Sky Switchblade: A sports car with wings

The American-built Samson Sky Switchblade resembles a three-wheeled sports car until its wings and tail deploy, transforming it into a two-seat aircraft.

The Switchblade completed its first flight in November 2023 at Grant County International Airport in Washington state.

Test pilot Robert Moehle reached approximately 500ft during the flight, which lasted just under six minutes.

The Switchblade requires a runway, so drivers hoping to leapfrog motorway congestion will still need to find an airport first.

Samson Sky continues developing the aircraft for production, but it has yet to deliver a fully certified production model.

2. Jetson ONE: Your personal flying drone

Swedish-founded Jetson has developed a single-seat electric aircraft that looks rather like a giant drone with somewhere for a human to sit.

Its eight propellers provide vertical takeoff and landing capability, eliminating the need for a runway.

The Jetson ONE has demonstrated sustained piloted flight. In March 2026, the company released footage of founder Tomasz Patan flying along the California coastline.

Jetson announced its first customer delivery in September 2025 and reported more than 650 orders in 2026.

The aircraft is intended to operate under the US Federal Aviation Administration’s Part 103 ultralight rules, which restrict where and how it can fly.

There are a few downsides—it cannot drive on roads, carry passengers or transport the weekly groceries. But for anyone whose commute involves flying alone over open countryside, it is an intriguing proposition.

3. Klein Vision AirCar: A flying car with papers

Slovakia’s Klein Vision AirCar is among the more convincing attempts to combine a car and an aeroplane.

Its wings fold into the body for road travel, while a retractable tail transforms it into a conventional fixed-wing aircraft.

In June 2021, AirCar completed a 35-minute flight between Nitra and Bratislava, subsequently driving through the city.

The prototype received an individual Certificate of Airworthiness from Slovakia’s Transport Authority in January 2022, following more than 70 hours of flight testing and 200 takeoffs and landings.

That is a meaningful achievement, although it is not equivalent to full type certification of a production aircraft.

The AirCar still needs a runway, a qualified pilot and suitable weather. Its appeal is being able to drive away after landing rather than renting another car.

4. Alef Model Zero: The car that jumps over traffic

California-based Alef Aeronautics has taken a different approach, designing an electric vehicle intended to rise vertically from the road.

In February 2025, Alef released footage of its Model Zero prototype driving along a closed road, lifting into the air and passing over another vehicle before landing.

The company received an FAA special airworthiness certificate for research and development in 2023.

Its demonstration established that the prototype could perform a short, untethered flight. It did not demonstrate the range or operational capabilities promised for the proposed Model A.

Alef’s approach might eventually eliminate the need for runways, although getting permission to take off from public roads presents another challenge.

5. AeroMobil 4.0: Not just pretty pictures

At first glance, Slovakia’s AeroMobil 4.0 looks suspiciously like something designed for a science-fiction film.

However, AeroMobil has built and flown prototypes. Its 4.0 combines folding wings, a rear-mounted propeller and hybrid propulsion. The company says it can convert from car to aircraft configuration in under three minutes.

Flight testing began in September 2020, and AeroMobil subsequently published footage of the aircraft flying.

The company advertised a cruising speed of approximately 260km/h and a takeoff distance of around 400m.

Despite these achievements, AeroMobil has not established widespread production or customer deliveries. Its website remains online, but the current status of its manufacturing programme is unclear.

It is certainly more than a rendering. Whether it becomes more than a prototype is another matter.

6. PAL-V: The flying car that takes the scenic route

Dutch manufacturer PAL-V has developed a three-wheeled vehicle that converts into an autogyro.

Unlike a helicopter, an autogyro uses an unpowered main rotor that spins in the airflow to generate lift, while a separate propeller provides forward thrust.

PAL-V’s original prototype flew in 2012, proving that a road-going vehicle could also operate as an autogyro.

The company later developed the PAL-V Liberty, securing a No Technical Objection from EASA in April 2025 and European Production Organisation Approval in September 2026.

Neither milestone represents full aircraft type certification, and the Liberty has yet to enter routine customer service.

PAL-V currently targets first deliveries in 2028.

Like the Switchblade and AirCar, it requires a suitable takeoff and landing area—unfolding the rotor blades in a traffic jam is not an option.

So, when can we ditch our cars?

The flying-car industry has made genuine technical progress. Several prototypes have completed controlled flights, and some manufacturers have obtained regulatory approvals.

However, none of these vehicles has established itself as a widely available replacement for the conventional car.

Most require a pilot’s licence, suitable airspace and somewhere legal to take off and land. Others cannot drive on roads at all.

Tesla’s Roadster may eventually join this unconventional fleet. For now, the manufacturers have demonstrated that their vehicles can fly. However, making them practical, affordable and deliverable is proving considerably harder.

Until someone solves the problem of where to park a flying car, the ordinary four-wheeled road-bound automobile still has a few advantages.