A flying car has received approval by the US government aviation authority (the FAA) to start flight testing after 14 years of development.
The Samson Switchblade is now conducting its final high-speed taxi tests before it takes to the skies for the very first time, making the prospect of flying cars seem almost in reach.
The brains behind the vehicle, Samson Sky, say 2100 vehicles have already been pre-ordered, with reservations spanning 52 countries and all 50 US states.
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Samson Sky CEO Sam Bousfield said: "Artists dream the future, and that future is filled with flying cars.
"If you share that dream, the Switchblade was designed for you."
The flying car has three wheels and is intended to be appropriate for street parking, and will be the right size for owners to keep in their garage or driveway.
But there's a catch – flight-ready fans will have to build the cars themselves, as they come in DIY packs.
Each Switchblade Kit comes with an engine, a transmission, avionics, interiors, and the Samson Builder Assist Program.
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Once built, Samson Sky says users will drive the car on the road from their home to a nearby airport, where they can release the wings and tail which swing out in less than three minutes.
Drivers can then fly their aircraft cars from the airport to their destination, before landing and switching the car back into driving mode and setting off by land to wherever they want to go.
When airborne, the impressive cars can reach speeds of up to 306 kmh (190mph) and heights of 21000 km (13000 miles).
During the recent high-speed taxi tests, the wings were removed from the vehicle to stop the cars from accidentally going into flight.
Bousfield added: "Our take-off speed is predicted to be 88mph, meaning that’s the speed we need to hit, at which point the Switchblade would begin to lift off the ground.
"Out of the fastest of 10 speed runs, our test driver took the Switchblade to 98 mph, which confirmed what the team saw on the instruments, videos and engine computer data – the Switchblade handled and performed very well."
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