In a press conference this week, Miami-based Doroni Aerospace announced it is accepting orders for its soon-to-available H1 personal flying car. And the H1 won’t be marketed as a flying taxi. Instead, Doroni says the H1 is more intuitive, as well as easier to fly than other eVTOLs or helicopters. So personal use is possible for the average person.

Is a driver’s license really all you need to fly the Doroni H1?

Doron Merdinger, CEO of Doroni, also said that with a driver’s license and 20 hours of training, you’re ready to fly. We like how that sounds. But we should mention that those 20-hour training courses result in a sport pilot license. Restrictions around major airports are placed on altitudes and air space with only a sport pilot license.

In addition, those restrictions mean since you are flying by visual flight rules, or VFR, air traffic control won’t allow you to be within 30 miles of an airport. That means you have to fly around it, which changes how you can use the H1. And finally, those 20-hour flying instructions don’t come cheap. And the classes are spread out over several days and weeks. We just thought that fair disclosure is necessary for this circumstance.

How fast is the Doroni H1 flying car?

The H1 is a two-seater concept with two sets of wings. One set is in front and the other in the back. Ducted fans at each end. Payload is 500 lbs, with a range of 60 miles and a top speed of 140 mph. 

Multiple redundancies are an important aspect of any aircraft design. The H1, besides the multiple wings and propellers, will have anti-collision sensors. The H1 is both viable and feasible due to using off-the-shelf parts, modularity, and an overall simplified design. This should also decrease potential weight. 

Are there flying prototypes of the Doroni flying car?

According to Merdinger, a charge from 20 percent to 80 percent takes only 20 minutes. For safety, a ballistic parachute will be part of the design. The overall design takes on a 1930s “Rocketeer” movie vibe. And Doroni says it can be driven into a standard two-car garage. 

According to eVTOL News, Doroni has already designed four aircraft. Two of them are concept designs, plus a working prototype, and what it hopes to be the final production prototype. The working prototype was first completed in September 2017, with a second finished in May 2018. Unfortunately, there don’t appear to be any videos online or on its YouTube channel of any demonstration flights of the prototypes. 

A new facility in Miami will house Doroni, with more test flights to begin “in a few months.” According to its website, productized prototypes will be completed in June 2023. However, it also says it has completed the final production prototype, so that is a bit confusing. Finally, Doroni expects both FAA certification and product launch to be mid-2024.