Flying Humvee to Follow Flying Car

Terrafugia, the alumni-led company that developed the exciting flying car, is now working with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) on a $65 million program to develop a new four-person flyable and roadable vehicle. It’s been dubbed a flying Humvee.

The flying car, developed by a group of aero-astro students in 2005, is officially called the Transition® Roadable Aircraft. The prototype took its first test flight in 2009 and now you can buy one from the Woburn-based startup—if you have a spare $200,000.

The new vehicle, known as the Transformer or TX, would function like a Humvee on the ground while also providing helicopter-like mobility. The DARPA announcement says this is the plan:

“Intended missions include medical evacuation, avoidance of improvised explosive devices, remote resupply, and Special Forces insertion. The vehicle will be able to travel 280 miles by land and air, using vertical take-off and landing to increase access to difficult terrain, and automating flight controls to enable operation by non-pilots.”

A Transformer prototype is expected to roll and fly in 2015. Terrafugia, Inc., led by CEO Carl Dietrich ’99, SM ’03, PhD ’07, is the largest subcontractor to one of two winning teams, led by AAI Corporation and comprised of other Textron companies.