Manufacturing rights for a flying car with fold-away wings have been bought by a Chinese company.
The Klein Vision AirCar, which has successfully flown between two city airports and then after packing away the wings was driven off the runway onto the road, will be made by Hebei Jianxin Flying Car Technology Company, headquartered in Cangzhou under the deal.
Klein Vision, which completed a flight between Nitra airport in Slovakia to the capital, Bratislava, in 2021, has sold exclusive rights to manufacture and use AirCar aircraft inside a specific area of China, according to a statement
The company did not say how much had been paid for the rights for AirCar, which has hitherto been flown using a BMW engine and unleaded fuel.
Slovakian authorities issued an aviation licence after the completion of 70 hours of flight testing compatible with European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) standards, including over 200 takeoffs and landings.
Hebei Jianxin has built its own airport and flight school, the BBC reported.
Anton Zajac, a co-founder, investor and pilot said: “With Aircar you will arrive at your destination without the hassle of getting a ride to airport and passing through commercial security, you can drive your AirCar to the golf course, the office, the mall or your hotel and park it in a normal parking space.”
China is far from the only country with 'flying car' and air taxi aspirations, with the UK's first air taxis and delivery drones hub opening to the public for demonstrations in 2022, and last year seeing the first electric air taxi flights in New York by two companies.