Bizarre flying car jet pack hybrid takes off in Tokyo

Published on May 28, 2024 at 6:47 PM (UTC+4)
by Author Andie Reeves
Last updated on May 28, 2024 at 6:47 PM (UTC+4) · Edited by Tom Wood
Bizarre flying car jet pack hybrid takes off in Tokyo

There’s a new type of flying car in the skies.

HEXA is a flying vehicle that looks like a combination of an eVTOL and a jet pack.

It just made its debut in Tokyo, effortlessly flying around like a giant drone.

What’s perhaps most exciting is that no special license is needed to operate one.

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Despite the various challenges and obstacles facing their development, a future filled with flying cars is imminent.

XPeng’s X2 has soared ahead of the competition, able to fly for 35 minutes on a single charge.

EHang, meanwhile, is working hard to develop a fleet of autonomous flying taxis in Abu Dhabi.

Lift Aircraft is a US-based company that believes anyone should be able to pilot an eVTOL.

It’s just unveiled HEXA, a single-seat flying car with 18 propellers.

The vehicle is small, essentially just a seat where the driver’s legs are exposed, similar to a rollercoaster’s chair.

It’s 8.5 feet high, 14.8 feet wide, and weighs around 432 pounds.

At Asia’s largest innovation conference, SusHi Tech Tokyo, HEXA made its debut on the continent.

“We’re on a mission to make the joy and utility of personal, vertical flight accessible to all,” the company said in a statement.

Next up, the HEXA is touring the US, aiming to provide the world’s first eVTOL pay-per-flight experience.

Anyone who wants a chance to pilot this unusual-looking flying car can do so, with no special license required.

Instead of earning a license, potential pilots will need to spend 30 minutes in a virtual reality simulator first.

The company limits how high, far, and fast HEXA can fly, and ensures there is a pilot on the ground ready in case of emergency.

Ultimately the company is hoping to offer its eVTOLs as a tourist activity in cities like New York.

Think of it as the luxurious alternative to hiring a bicycle.

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