A Comprehensive and Systematic Literature Review on Flying Cars in Contemporary Research

Abstract

The integration of flying cars into urban transportation represents a significant advance in scientific and technological developments. This paper provides a comprehensive review of flying cars within the context of Urban Aerial Mobility (UAM), addressing the critical need for Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) vehicles in contemporary urban environments. The study is divided into two main parts: a historical review and a systematic literature review. The historical review, which covers developments up to 2013, traces the evolution of flying cars from their conceptual inception to early practical implementations. From 2013 onwards, the focus shifted to a systematic literature review, which meticulously analyzes research from the past decade to the present day. This bifurcated approach not only highlights the technological and infrastructural advancements but also underscores the social considerations and regulatory frameworks necessary for the successful deployment of flying cars. The paper commences with a categorization of flying vehicles, which serves to establish a contextual understanding. The methodology employed in this study, namely the systematic literature review, is then described. An in-depth bibliometric analysis of the selected references follows this. The findings are presented through a conceptual structure map, which delineates the boundaries of the research field. The paper discusses a number of key issues, including technological innovations, infrastructure requirements, societal impacts, and regulatory challenges. In addition, the paper highlights the practical implications and recommendations for the successful integration and adoption of flying cars. Additionally, the paper compares various flying car concepts with each other in terms of several aspects and presents a preliminary sizing study of the selected flying car concept via a demonstrative example. Finally, the paper identifies promising avenues for future research in the field of vertical take-off and landing vehicles, with the aim of enhancing the framework for urban air mobility. This comprehensive review synthesizes existing knowledge and provides an integrative view essential for future research and development in flying cars.