Aska reports that its A5 is the world's first flying car to start the type certification process with the FAA. The Silicon Valley air mobility company's prototype has been awarded Certificate of Authorisation (COA) and Special Airworthiness Certification by the FAA and has started flight testing. Since 2022 Aska has performed successful ground testing and in Q1/2023 began conducting on-street driving tests. This Special Airworthiness Certificate signals that the Aska A5 has successfully met all FAA safety requirements.

Aska is working closely with the FAA on type certification, which signifies the design is in compliance with applicable airworthiness, noise, fuel venting and exhaust emissions standards.

"We have achieved a series of technological milestones in the first quarter of 2023; debuting the first full-scale working prototype of the Aska A5 in January at CES, successfully performing field and driving tests, and obtaining the COA and Special Airworthiness Certification for our pre-production prototype," says CEO and co-founder Guy Kaplinsky. "The data we are harvesting from flight testing is enabling us to make progress towards our type certification. We already completed the initial phase and are progressing towards our next milestone, G1 status."

G-1 basis is a critical milestone in the FAA cross-validation process, establishing airworthiness and environmental requirements necessary to achieve FAA type certification validation.

The four seat Aska A5 is a drive and fly eVTOL the size of an SUV that can travel by road and air. It is designed for the highest level of safety, a key factor that has enabled the company to make positive progress with the FAA toward type certification. The Aska is a hybrid with batteries and a range extender engine that charges the batteries in-flight, and uses premium gasoline available from today's gas stations. Its large aerodynamic wings are optimised for safe landing with the ability to glide, it has six independent motor systems for flight, sufficient reserve flight time to meet FAA safety requirements and a ballistic parachute. The one pilot, three passenger eVTOL has a maximum flight range of 250 miles and a top airspeed of 150mph.

"The airworthiness certification validates our efforts to develop a drive and fly eVTOL with an emphasis on safety," explains co-founder, chair and COO Maki Kaplinsky. "One of the significant advantages of a roadworthy eVTOL, like the Aska A5, is that it does not require the modification or electrification of existing airports since it can maximise the use of today's infrastructure, such as the many charging stations located around us. We are working with local airports in the Bay Area to test and confirm our concept of operations; they open the gate, the Aska A5 drives in as a car, drives/taxis to the helipad or runway, transforms into the flight mode and can take off." The vehicle can perform an energy-efficient short take off from the runway using the in-wheel motors and thrust from the props.

The Aska A5 makes the maximum use of existing infrastructure, such as parking, charging stations, airfields, helipads and runways, for a seamless integration into city and suburban landscapes. It fits in standard parking spaces, it can be charged at home and at EV charging stations, and the range extender engine runs on premium gasoline purchased at existing automotive gas stations.

Pre-order reservations launched in 2021 and the company has already secured $50 million in pre-orders.