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Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's a flying car!

© Simon Jones

One of the most memorable scenes from Jean Luc Besson's futuristic Fifth Element is the awesome sky-filled spectacle of hundreds of flying cars precariously crossing each others path. Flying cars are a familiar sci-fi fantasy that hasn't as yet come tantalisingly close to reality. Given the rising levels of congestion on our roads, it seems inevitable that traffic will eventually take to the skies — but when?

Hoping to meet the challenge are several companies with prototypes that could be mass produced in a matter of years rather than decades. The most probable in the line up is the M400 SkyCar from Moller International http://www.moller.com. With an appearance that has been likened to a Bat Mobile, you can see the similarity, it has a throwback to the fifties look with its bright red bodywork and four conspicuous propellers. But belying the retro-looking exterior is the car's impressive ability to take off and land vertically using powered lifts, like a Harrier jump jet. Four passengers can be transported up to a height of 50 feet and a staggering 390 mph — that's three times faster than any light helicopter.

With its ability to cover vast distances at great speed, commuting from areas much further from work could become popular. Other uses suggested include police and fire services, where a speedy response is of utmost importance, express delivery, news reporting, and charter flights. To avoid the likelihood of collision, Moller has a solution - an airway network that automatically controls SkyCars to travel in a specific direction at the same speed.

Advertised as being far more versatile than a car, or even a helicopter, the price of being free as a bird is expected to be around $500,000, eventually dropping to $60,000.

Another contender in personal flying machines is the SoloTrek XFV (Exo-Skeletor Flying Machine) http://www.solotrek.com. Strap the machine to your back and after vertical take-off, land virtually anywhere you want. Tests show that up to 150 miles can be covered, with a speed of up to 80 mph. The manufacturers are aiming the SoloTrek at primarily the military and paramilitary markets. With mass production, it could be later aimed at the commercial sector at a price similar to a "very high-end sports car".

These prototypes show that the mechanics are developed to a stage where working models are almost ready to go into mass production. However, the regulations governing their safety and use in urban areas, like many other new forms of transport, may halt the process. So watch this air space...