This SUV-Sized Flying Car has $50 Million in Pre-Orders: ASKA A5 eVTOL Begins FAA Type Certification Process

ASKA A5 eVTOL Flying Car Begins FAA Type Certification Process

by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian M. Crosby

Air mobility company ASKA’s 4-seater eVTOL has become the first ever flying car to begin the type certification process with the FAA. The prototype of the ASKA™ A5 was awarded Certificate of Authorization (COA) and Special Airworthiness Certification by the FAA and has begun flight testing. ASKA has been conducting ground tests since 2022 and in Q1/2023 began performing on-street driving tests. This Special Airworthiness Certificate proves that ASKA™ A5 has satisfied all FAA safety requirements. The company is currently working closely with the FAA on type certification, which signifies the design is in compliance with all airworthiness, noise, fuel venting, and exhaust emissions standards.

“We have achieved a series of technological milestones in the first quarter of 2023; debuting the first full-scale working prototype of the ASKA™ A5 in January at CES, successfully performing field and driving tests, and obtaining the COA and Special Airworthiness Certification for our pre-production prototype,” said ASKA CEO and Cofounder Guy Kaplinsky. “The data we are harvesting from flight testing is enabling us to make progress towards our type certification. We already completed the initial phase and are progressing towards our next milestone, G1 status.”

A major step in the FAA cross-validation process, G-1 basis establishes airworthiness and environmental requirements needed to achieve FAA Type Certification Validation.

The four-seater ASKA™ A5 is roughly the size of an SUV and fits in standard parking spaces. A drive & fly eVTOL capable of both road and air travel, ASKA™ A5 boasts a max flight range of 250 miles and an airspeed of up to 150mph. The vehicle is designed for the highest level of safety, a major factor that has allowed ASKA to make positive progress with the FAA toward type certification. Its large aerodynamic wings are optimized for safe landing with the ability to glide. The aircraft also features six independent motor systems for flight and a ballistic parachute.

“The airworthiness certification validates our efforts to develop a drive & fly eVTOL with an emphasis on safety,” said ASKA CoFounder/Chair & COO Maki Kaplinsky. “One of the significant advantages of a roadworthy eVTOL, like the ASKA™ A5, is that it does not require the modification or electrification of existing airports since it can maximize the use of today’s infrastructure, such as the many charging stations located around us. We are working with local airports in the Bay Area to test and confirm our concept of operations – they open the gate, ASKA™ A5 drives in as a car, drives/taxis to the helipad or runway, transforms into the flight mode and can take off.”

ASKA™ A5 can also perform an energy-efficient short takeoff from the runway using the in-wheel motors and thrust from the props. The vehicle can be charged at home and EV charging stations, and the range extender engine runs on premium gasoline purchased at existing automotive gas stations.

Pre-order reservations for the ASKA™ A5 launched back in 2021, and ASKA has already secured $50M in pre-orders.

Read more:

• Volocopter Continues Development Towards Type Certification with Integration of Swiss-AS MRO Software
• Lilium Jet Becomes First eVTOL with Both EASA and FAA Certification Basis
• The First Ever High-Volume eVTOL Aircraft Manufacturing is Moving Full Speed Ahead for Production in 2024
• AIR ONE Personal eVTOL: Operating with High Lander UTM and Mission Control

Ian attended Dominican University of California, where he received a BA in English in 2019. With a lifelong passion for writing and storytelling and a keen interest in technology, he is now contributing to DroneLife as a staff writer.