Any flying vehicle weighing more than about 250 pounds would have to go through an FAA approval process and need permission to operate in national airspace, says Michael McCormick, a former FAA official who now directs the air traffic management program at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Obtaining this certification, he predicts, could take “at least a year.” In the meantime, your standard driver’s license would not suffice. Any Tesla owner flying such a vehicle would probably need to obtain a recreational aviation license.
In fact, taking off and landing the Roadster 2 would likely present its own set of problems. Most states require planes to take off from designated airports or heliports. Launching from the road into the air would fall under state or local rules, Miller says, and many places don’t like the concept of sudden aircraft intrusions onto their streets and highways. That’s why “it’s pretty rare to be able to hop on a helicopter and land at your favorite steakhouse for a steak,” he says. Drivers may only truly be able to operate the vehicle on large private land.
The FAA is now working on rules, regulations and pilot projects around another type of “flying car,” or what is more commonly called an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle. These planes use several smaller electric motors and propellers to carry up to four passengers between 20 and 150 miles, sometimes autonomously. Companies developing the technology plan to launch small local “vertipads,” allowing cyclists to avoid city traffic by floating above the fray.
The Trump administration launched a limited three-year pilot project using the plane this year, in which companies can test the technology in several states. It took years for companies to receive certifications from the federal government.
When it comes to the Roadster 2, practical questions also arise. Real flying cars have struggled to get off the ground because of the physical contradiction at the heart of the idea. What makes a car safe and durable enough to drive on the roads is its weight. But “weight is the enemy of an airplane,” says Miller. “Flying cars have failed to find this balance between power and weight.”
Still, Miller felt impressed by Thursday’s demo. “If this actually makes it to production, it will be a truly impressive feat of engineering and production,” he says.
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