• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Tech

This Flying Car Just Got Approval to Move Into Test Mode

By
Hilary Brueck
Hilary Brueck
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Hilary Brueck
Hilary Brueck
Down Arrow Button Icon
December 16, 2015, 12:35 PM ET
Terrafugia

The Federal Aviation Administration has authorized flying car company Terrafugia to start testing out prototypes of a flying car that could some day fit right into a one-car garage, wings and all. And the company says its flying car test flights could start whizzing around the Northeast in the coming months.

But don’t go clearing any space out in the garage just yet—Terrafugia’s only been approved to test mini versions of their TF-X flying car.

The TF-X is a 4-seater that “will look like a large car with wings,” Terrafugia spokeswoman Dagny Dukach says. The roughly 35-member team based in Woburn, Mass., is building out their ~2 ft. long FAA-approved models now, and they hope to have them flying around the company’s home base (just outside Boston) soon. The test cars also have a weight restriction: No more than 50 pounds.

While flying cars have been a dream of carmakers (like Henry Ford) and engineers (like Paul Moller) for decades, no one’s really been able to get out of prototype mode and into the consumer market yet. One French government-sponsored company has plans for a commuter plane called the “Xplorair.” They unveiled their half-size prototype at the Paris Air Show in 2013 (and are planning to show off a full-size model in 2017). But Xplorair seems a bit more drone-like than car, and seats just one.

Terrafugia’s been working on their own models and prototypes for roughly the past decade. Their TF-X is being engineered with semi-autonomous flight—the idea being that the flying car will require less training to fly than a professional airplane. Making the car a reality is going to require some new techniques in battery technology too. The company is planning to build the car as a plug-in hybrid-electric, but the battery technology for flying cars hasn’t been perfected yet. And of course, any full-scale model testing will require more rounds of approvals from the FAA.

“It’s really going to revolutionize the way that everybody gets around,” Dukach says.

Once it gets off the ground, that is.

Subscribe to Data Sheet, Fortune’s daily newsletter on the business of technology.

And watch more on why we’ll be waiting a long time for flying cars:

About the Author
By Hilary Brueck
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Sequoia-backed Astrocade raises $56 million to let everyone build games
NewslettersTerm Sheet
Sequoia-backed Astrocade raises $56 million to let everyone build games
By Allie GarfinkleMay 5, 2026
51 minutes ago
President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C. on May 4, 2026. (Photo: Kent Nishimura/AFP/Getty Images)
NewslettersFortune Tech
Trump may seek to review AI models before launch
By Andrew NuscaMay 5, 2026
1 hour ago
Supermicro’s earnings call today takes place amid a probe that could be ‘fatal’ for the company
Big TechMarkets
Supermicro’s earnings call today takes place amid a probe that could be ‘fatal’ for the company
By Jim EdwardsMay 5, 2026
1 hour ago
Man in a suit with glasses
Big TechTech
Supermicro’s co-founder allegedly smuggled $2.5 billion in Nvidia-chipped servers to China—now the whole company is under the microscope
By Amanda GerutMay 5, 2026
2 hours ago
yann lecun
AITech
An AI ‘godfather’ says CEOs hyping job loss are ‘extremely destructive’—and your kids are paying the price
By Jake AngeloMay 5, 2026
3 hours ago
China stopped issuing new robotaxi licenses over a glitch. America can’t stop them from rolling into active shooter situations
LawChina
China stopped issuing new robotaxi licenses over a glitch. America can’t stop them from rolling into active shooter situations
By Catherina GioinoMay 4, 2026
15 hours ago

Most Popular

Diary of a CEO founder says he hired someone with 'zero' work experience because she 'thanked the security guard by name' before the interview
Success
Diary of a CEO founder says he hired someone with 'zero' work experience because she 'thanked the security guard by name' before the interview
By Emma BurleighMay 3, 2026
2 days ago
As economic despair mounts, Russian official admits the country has had enough of Putin's war on Ukraine. 'We can’t even take one region'
Economy
As economic despair mounts, Russian official admits the country has had enough of Putin's war on Ukraine. 'We can’t even take one region'
By Jason MaMay 3, 2026
2 days ago
America got rich and got sad. A top economist says 2020 broke something that hasn't healed
Economy
America got rich and got sad. A top economist says 2020 broke something that hasn't healed
By Nick LichtenbergMay 3, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of silver as of Monday, May 4, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Monday, May 4, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 4, 2026
22 hours ago
Current price of oil as of May 4, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 4, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 4, 2026
23 hours ago
Scott Bessent on financial literacy: 'it drives me crazy' to see young men in blue-collar construction jobs playing the lottery
Personal Finance
Scott Bessent on financial literacy: 'it drives me crazy' to see young men in blue-collar construction jobs playing the lottery
By Fatima Hussein and The Associated PressMay 1, 2026
4 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.