California startup takes a personal approach to air transportation

As a magnet for tech-savvy entrepreneurs, Silicon Valley is no stranger to firsts. But an April ribbon-cutting in the city of Los Altos has to be one of the more unusual ones.

In an event livestreamed by the local chamber of commerce, NFT Inc., short for New Future Transportation, opened what it calls the world's first "consumer flying car showroom." A central feature: a model of the Aska Drive & Fly, an electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle now in development.

NFT, founded in 2018, is hoping to stand out from rivals by selling the aircraft directly to early adopters who have the will to fly — and deep enough pockets to help drive the future of personal transportation.

While many other ventures are centered around shared mobility, NFT aims to position itself as a manufacturer that provides a more personal solution for commuting to and from the city.

Co-founder Guy Kaplinsky said the company is focused on improving quality of life for consumers who need to commute to urban areas but prefer living on the outskirts. "We developed this company ... to provide a better world for people, not just to provide the transportation," Kaplinsky told Shift.
The idea, he explained, is to help alleviate the issues associated with densely populated cities, including the high cost of living and the frustration of long, unpleasant, crowded commutes. "I live in the Bay Area, and people ... want to go to (Lake) Tahoe. Right now, from here to Tahoe is five hours' drive. With our vehicle, it's one," said Kaplinsky.

NFT is in the third year of development of the hand-built aircraft. It began taking preorders for 1,500 launch models in April. All have been claimed. The launch model costs $789,000, with a $5,000 deposit.

The buyers, known as the Aska Founders Club, include leaders in the tech, medical and legal fields who have a passion for urban air mobility. They will play a pivotal role in the company's long-term strategy as NFT maps out plans to ramp up production to 15,000 units a year by 2030. Club members will provide insight on things such as improving the user experience and developing additional products and services.

"They understand this is going to change other people's lives," said Kaplinsky. "That is motivation for them, to help other people."

Deliveries of the four-seater are slated to begin in 2026. The vehicle will be equipped with a safety feature that lets the aircraft's system take control if an emergency landing is needed. It has a flight range of 250 miles when equipped with a range extender using regular fuel. The training required to operate an Aska will be provided by the company through partnerships with flight schools where buyers live.

When not in the air, the aircraft functions much as a traditional car and is capable of being parked on the street or in a home garage."

A major component of NFT's marketing and sales strategy is the expansive showroom in Los Altos, which features various interactive displays on electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles and urban air mobility. NFT plans to open additional showrooms in the Los Angeles, Miami and New York City markets.

It is also focused on engaging the next generation of mobility users, with several initiatives specifically targeting youth, which Kaplinsky sees as a pivotal part of the company's strategy to help build excitement around such aircraft.

Future models are expected to be half the cost of the first editions, with a projected price of $359,000. The long-term strategy, said Kaplinsky, is to make Askas more widely accessible, with the vehicles potentially being adopted in a variety of ways to improve mobility.