As a big fan of The Jetsons growing up, I’ve become rather obsessed with the prospect of flying cars. In particular, I was always enamoured with the gravity-defying automobile driven by George Jetson in the classic (but futuristic) Hanna-Barbera cartoon series — a vehicle that was apparently inspired by a 1954 Ford concept car, the FX-Atmos, which was characterized by an all-glass bubble canopy, dashboard radar screen and distinctive tail fins. But while the general development of flying cars is still in its infancy, I was excited recently at the news of the AeroMobil 3.0, a flying car that was unveiled at the Pioneers Festival in Vienna, Austria and certified by the Slovak Federation of Ultra-Light Flying.

Unlike earlier prototypes, AeroMobil’s 3.0 version is reportedly close to the final product and is now being tested in real flight conditions. The car itself can fly up to 430 miles at speeds up to 124 mph, while reaching 310 miles at speeds up to 100mph on the ground. “We want to make personal transportation exciting, more efficient and sustainable.” AeroMobil’s CTO Stefan Klein stated. “With ever more cars on the roads and ever more crowded airports, traveling is no longer what it used to be.”