Convertible flying car wins airworthiness certification

A vehicle that can transform from car to plane is certified to fly after passing tests.

The flying car is capable of hitting speeds over 100mph (160kmh) and altitudes above 8,000ft (2,500m).

It takes just over two minutes to transform and was certified by the Slovak Transport Authority.

In June, the flying car completed a 35-minute flight between international airports in Nitra and Bratislava, Slovakia.

The company told BBC News it planned "to fly to London from Paris in near future".

Dr Steve Wright, senior research fellow in avionics and aircraft systems, at the University of the West of England, said the news was "a good step down the road" for the company and made him "cautiously optimistic that I am going to see a few AirCars one day - but I think there is still a way to go".

Other companies are also developing vehicles that can fly and be driven on the roads.

The three-wheeled PAL-V Liberty, which flies like a gyrocopter, is road legal in Europe and working towards European Union Aviation Safety Agency certification.

But Dr Wright is cautious about how much mass appeal flying cars may have.