Giving Compass' Take:

· According to Jim Erickson at Futurity, new research shows that flying cars, or VTOLs (vertical takeoff and landing aircrafts), have the potential to help the environment by providing a more sustainable mobility for longer trips.

· How will flying cars be regulated? What other technological advancements are providing sustainable solutions for our future?

· Check out this article about the future of urban transportation.

Flying cars, formally known as electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, or VTOLs, may not be suitable for short trips, researchers report.

However, VTOLs—which combine the convenience of vertical takeoff and landing like a helicopter with the efficient aerodynamic flight of an airplane—could play a niche role in sustainable mobility for longer trips, according to the study.

Several companies around the world are developing VTOL prototypes. Flying cars would be especially valuable in congested cities, or in places where there are geographical constraints, as part of a ride-share taxi service, according to study authors.

“To me, it was very surprising to see that VTOLs were competitive with regard to energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in certain scenarios,” says Gregory Keoleian, senior author of the study and director of the Center for Sustainable Systems at U-M’s School for Environment and Sustainability.

“VTOLs with full occupancy could outperform ground-based cars for trips from San Francisco to San Jose or from Detroit to Cleveland, for example,” he says.

Read the full article about how flying cars will affect the environment by Jim Erickson at Futurity.