Return of the DeLorean... as a flying car

Having the name DeLorean can’t be easy, especially in the car industry. However, it hasn’t stopped Paul DeLorean, nephew of John, founder of the DeLorean car company, from pursuing the dream of a flying car and this is it, the DR-7.

What makes the DR-7 different from the many flying car concepts out there is that instead of a multitude of power units and propellers, it has just the two. Mind you, they are pretty special being ducted fan units which can be vectored (‘steered’) to aim their thrust where it’s required, whether that’s for lift off, forward propulsion, turning, braking and landing.

As with most of the other proposed flying cars, the DR-7 is designed to be flown with minimal training for the pilot. Not only is it Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL), it has an autonomous flight control system. Good news is that it will also allow manual operation for those of us who fancy it.

The DR-7 looks pretty magic as well, with a carbon composite monocoque body, “similar to an F1 racer” says Paul. It can seat two passengers in a comfortable, fighter-jet style tandem seating. Multiple active and passive safety features include a failsafe for loss of power.

Propulsion is all-electric, with a range of 120 miles claimed. That may seem optimistic but this thing has more wing than most of the flying car concepts, and is intended to fly higher and faster, with less drag, than its multi-rotor rivals. The wings fold for VTOL ops into small small spaces, and also allow the DR-7 to land on a normal runway if needed.

So what stage is the DeLorean DR-7 at? Two small-scale radio control models have been built and flown as proof-of-concept. Now Paul is planning to build a full-size prototype.

DeLorean DR-7
Wingspan 18.5ft (7.5ft folded)
Length 19.5ft
Power: electric, two ducted fans with vectored thrust
Cruise speed 150mph
Top speed 240mph
Range 120 miles
Seats 2

DeLorean Aerospace