Luxury personal air mobility: Aston Martin Volante Vision autonomous flying car concept

 

Aston Martin’s first flying car concept is a door to the future air transport.

Aston Martin took the Goodwood Festival of Speed by storm in 2018, with eight cars taking on the world- renowned hillclimb. Between 12th and 15th July, there were no fewer than three public debuts, as well as the new Vantage and the entire DB11 family, at the famous home of the Duke of Richmond. But, Aston Martin is aiming higher.

 

The luxury automotive brand announced also the company is working with partners Cranfield University, Cranfield Aerospace Solutions, and Rolls-Royce to create Aston Martin’s first flying supercar. Volante Vision Concept explores luxury personal air mobility with vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capabilities.

As the designer of cars such as the Aston Martin DB11, the new Vantage, the DBS Superleggera and Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar project – Aston Martin EVP and Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman holds the key to the distinctive design language of the new Aston Martins.

“We are at the beginning of a new generation of urban transportation, vertical mobility is no longer a fantasy. We have a unique chance to create a luxury concept aircraft that will represent the ultimate fusion of art and technology.” says Reichman.

“We have used forms and proportions that express the same devotion to design, engineering and beauty that shape our cars.”

With room for three adults, the concept is a near future study that previews a flying autonomous hybrid-electric vehicle for urban and inter-city air travel, providing fast, efficient and congestion free luxurious travel.

 

The Volante Vision Concept will take full advantage of the latest advances in aerospace, electrification and autonomous technologies, coupled with Aston Martin’s signature design.

Aston Martin President and CEO Dr Andy Palmer said: “With the population in urban areas continuing to grow, congestion in towns and cities will become increasingly demanding. We need to look at alternative solutions to reduce congestion, cut pollution and improve mobility. Air travel will be a crucial part in the future of transportation, the Volante Vision Concept is the ultimate luxury mobility solution.

“Humans have always spent on average, one hour commuting to and from work. The distance we live from our workplace has been determined by the methods of transportation available. The Volante Vision Concept will enable us to travel further with our hourly commute, meaning we are able to live further away from where we work. Cities will grow, and towns that are today too far away from cities to be commutable will become suburban.

Cranfield Aerospace Solutions (CAeS) CEO Paul Hutton said: “The introduction of autonomous and electric propulsion technologies into new aircraft designs is both inevitable and challenging, and as the UK’s leading aircraft design and production SME we are excited to be playing this key role in the Volante Vision Concept and so to be at the vanguard of this revolution in aerospace.”