Wings of desire

Once consigned to the realm of fantasy, flying cars are quickly making sci-fi dreams a reality

You pull out of your driveway, drop the kids off at school - then hit the takeoff button and soar to your first business meeting of the day 400 miles away.

It might sound like the stuff of science fiction, but the race is on to produce the first commercially available flying car, with Slovak manufacturer AeroMobil taking orders for delivery in 2020.

American automotive tycoon Henry Ford predicted in 1940 that "a combination of airplane and motorcar is coming", but until now his vision has failed to become reality. As Harry tells Ron when they're flying Arthur Weasley's Ford Anglia to Hogwarts in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: "Most Muggles aren't exactly accustomed to seeing a flying car."

But it might soon be time for Harry to rethink that stance. Tech startups and established giants, including Uber and Toyota, are getting involved in the business, despite the daunting challenges of regulatory red tape and safety concerns. Uber outlined its plans for flying electric-powered taxis when it held its first Elevation Summit in Dallas last year, with chief product officer Jeff Holden saying: "Flying cars have been promised for decades, but are arriving now." He remarked that electric-powered versions would be much quieter and safer than helicopters for flights across urban areas. Uber hopes to launch demo models of its vertical takeoff electric flying taxis in Dubai and Dallas in 2020. The vehicles would take off from a network of "vertiports".