DisownedSky's Journal: Flying Cars

The latest AWA podcast got me thinking. The technology for flying cars isn't that far off. the main problems are systemic - how we handle all that extra air traffic, especially around areas like mine where there is already lots of air traffic, and around areas where people converge, like shopping centers and sports stadia? There are other non-trivial problems, like fail-safe systems that don't require much pilot skill to get you safely to the ground in event of mechanical failure or bad weather, even in the presence of bodies of water, power lines, railroad tracks, smokestacks, etc.

It basically comes down to systems and software - engines and airfoils shouldn't be that tough, especially since we don't need these vehicles to fly all that fast or all that high an altitude. I think it's an interesting set of problems.