New flying car 'could be on sale by end of the year'

The futuristic dream of being able to travel around in a flying car may soon be a reality thanks to an ambitious vehicle by a Silicon Valley-based company.

It doesn't look much like a car - more like something out of a science fiction film - but Kitty Hawk's Flyer vehicle is an ambitious attempt at creating a flying car for consumers.

The Flyer only has room for one person and runs on electricity, with batteries powering the eight propellers needed to keep it in the air.

While there are around a dozen similar flying car concepts from various Silicon Valley companies - and even the government of Dubai - Kitty Hawk has generated interest because it is backed by Google co-founder Larry Page.

Mr Page said in a statement: "We've all had dreams of flying effortlessly. I'm excited that one day very soon I'll be able to climb onto my Kitty Hawk Flyer for a quick and easy personal flight."

The company's website says the car is "safe, tested and legal" to fly in the US and does not need a pilot's license, although it says the first version is designed "specifically to fly over water".

They expect that the Flyer will be on sale later on in the year, but there is no word on how much it may cost.