The flying car market is so promising that competition between manufacturers has been raging for 2 years even though no country has changed its laws to accommodate this type of machine in the air. But with this video showing that its own prototype is ready to fly, Russia has just entered the game as we know it: half provocative, half threatening.

First surprise, the Russian machine developed by the Academy of Sciences of Novosibirsk does not present the rotors typical of the era of maxi-drones, like all its Western or Asian competitors. No, the Siberian engineers preferred rotors hidden in four large cylinders 1.50 meters in diameter powered by a hybrid engine (probably electric and fuel oil). The advantage conferred by these curious propellers is to be able to take off in much more cramped places or very close to its passengers without risking scalping them.

Fly 500 km at 250 km / h. After presenting the mechanical principle and carrying out a few tests over the past year, a reduced-size prototype of the now named Cyclocar took its first flight this month. The final vehicle will be 6.20 meters long and 6 wide and the scientists' press release states that it will be able to hold 500 kilometers in flight and beat 250 km / h. "  And the second surprise?"  »You will say by rereading a few lines above? It is because all the official videos and photos show soldiers around the machine. Hmm.

Death from above. This in mind, we better understand the information "  will be able to transport 6 men or a payload of 600 kilos ". In the same spirit, the machine can be piloted or controlled remotely with God knows what in the cabin instead of the pilot ... The exciting results (for a Russian soldier, of course) allow to consider the first flights on the Cyclocar definitive in 2022 and delivery in 2024… to the Ministry of Defense. Enough to make your hair stand on end when these curling irons come over your heads.