Vinata: Asia’s first hybrid flying car

With machine learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI) ruling the world, it was only a matter of time that an avant-garde tech object like a flying car would be out in the market too. While many enterprises have been busy making a fully functioning flying car for few years now, a Chennai-based Indian company is in the process of developing it. Recently, the company unveiled the prototype flying car at a prestigious aviation exhibition in London’s Excel called ‘Helitech Expo’. Here’s everything about this autonomous hybrid innovation that has been named after its manufacturing company ‘Vinata’, meaning ‘mother of all birds.” 

Who is the manufacturer? 
Vinata Aeromobility, a startup from Chennai is responsible for this innovation. The company has been founded by Yogesh Ramanathan Iyer and has ISRO space scientist Dr. A.E. Muthunayagum as the lead researcher and head advisor. Another significant team member is a retired US Air Force colonel named Dawn Zoldi, who happens to be their UAM (Urban Air Mobility) advisor and has a 28 year of notable experience.  

Features of the flying car 
This flying car is an AI-controlled autonomous vehicle. It resembles a car-shaped air drone with a distinguishing feature called quad-copter on the top. The cabin offers comfortable seating with a window that covers a 360-degree visual. For its take-off and landing, both of which will be vertical, this flying car will use a feature called coaxial quadrotor, a total of eight in number. The weight of the vehicle is somewhere around 900-1100 kilograms and it can carry the weight of around 250-300 kilograms during its flight. The rotors will draw their power from in-built electric batteries. On plane land, it will however use biofuel for its functioning. The innovative transport also comes with an ejection parachute along with airbags inside the cockpit to ensure extra safety measures. 

What all can the flying car do? 
With the current specifications, the flying car’s flight speed will range from 100 to 120 kilometres per hour. At a time, it will be able to fly maximum two passengers. It can rise to a maximum height of 3000 feet and the flight time will range in between 40 to 60 minutes at the most. This aerial vehicle once launched and gets a kickstart in the aviation field, will be able to carry light-weight emergency cargo from one place to another, like medical resources, as well as a greater number of people in the near future once the features are expanded from a concept model to an actual prototype.