PAL-V is a Dutch company that is involved in the development of the first commercial flying car, the PAL-V Liberty. It is a compact two-person aircraft that can travel on public roads.
PAL-V Liberty
The PAL-V Liberty is a combination of a car and an autogiro, or gyroplane. Therefore, both a driver's license and an autogiro pilot's license are required to operate the PAL-V Liberty. The gyroplane principle convinced them for a number of good reasons. "The gyroplane principle not only provides us with a safe and easy-to-operate flying car but it also enables us to make it compact and within existing regulations, which is the most important factor to build a useable flying car," said Mike Stekelenburg, Chief Engineer at PAL-V. You need to get your PPLtype rated on a gyroplane to fly the PAL-V Liberty. This includes theoretical and practical training. The practical training takes between 30 and 40 hours before a person can take the exam. On the ground, the propeller and rotor are stopped and power is diverted to the wheels, allowing it to travel as a three-wheeled car. This will be easier and safer for take-off and landing. In addition, it also has a high center of gravity to make it stable in the air by ensuring the propeller to push through the center of gravity. These were the best choices but gave also a great challenge in the development of the flying car. In 2005 a technology provided a solution for the high center of gravity. A solution by the Carver vehicle, also produced by a Dutch company. This Dynamic Curve Stabilizer System ensured the road safety of the 'roadable gyroplane'. In 2009 PAL-V tested the tilting system with Prototype X1 on the road. After the successful test, PAL-V started to build Prototype X2, also known as the PAL-V ONE. PAL-V made its first flight with the PAL-V ONE in 2012. At that time, the company was seeking funds to develop the type for production. Estimated unit price in 2012 was around €300,000. By proving this concept, PAL-V started the design of its first commercial flying car model, based on the proven technologies. In February 2017, PAL-V started its marketing campaign with the public launch of the PAL-V Liberty and announced that they have started selling the first commercial flying car. The production model was first publicly shown at the Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland on 6 March 2018. CEO Robert Dingemanse expects that all certification requirements will be completed in 2021. PAL-V has 2 different editions, the Liberty Sport and the Liberty Pioneer. The Sport edition is the basis model. The Pioneer edition is the limited edition model. This model will be delivered prior to any other PAL-V. It also includes all the options that are available. Prices will be different to which country you want to order it. If you want to order a PAL-V Liberty from Europe then the Sport edition will start from €300,000 and the Pioneer edition will be €500,000. After delivering 90 Pioneer Editions, PAL-V will start shipping the Sport Edition. The first delivery is expected to be in 2021. On 9 March, 2020, the company VP, international business development, Carlo Maasbommel, signed an MOU with the Indian state of Gujrat, to set up a manufacturing and export unit in Gujrat. The company aims to export PAL-V from India to the US, the Netherlands, the UK, etc. by 2021.
