FD-One Tri-Rotor Concept by Lazzarini is a Retro Futuristic Dream

Hey, it’s the 21st century, where are all of the flying cars we were promised? Well, it seems a few others are wondering the same thing and the guys over at the Lazzarini design studio in Rome, Italy came up with the FD-One, a three rotor concept flyer in, what we might call, the reverse trike configuration. The colors and design are inspired by a Ferrari racer from the 50s, and what they conceived is flat out gorgeous.

A lot of us probably look at all of those little drones and wonder what might happen if you scaled one up so it could carry a human or two. At the Lazzarini studio, they’re serious about the idea and have started sketching a lot of classic designs and then transforming them with rotors. The FD-One cockpit features side by side seating in a fuselage carried aloft by three rotors, powered by a combination of electric motors and a V12 engine! Ah, the sweet sound of a Ferrari V12 overhead as you watch this beauty flying by, or better yet, as you pilot this retro futuristic tri-rotor over crowded city streets or perhaps over the countryside on the way to your vacation hideaway. If motorcycles evolve into something like this, I’m in!

I think the images in the video of the FD-One flying above the clouds and over mountain peaks is a bit, um …, optimistic, but at lower altitudes, who knows?

The body sports a composite shell with batteries in the bottom and the rest of it is composed of dreams, desires and imagination, if only this were real. Could something like this work? I have no idea, but they’re looking for investors to build a prototype. I really hope they can pull this off because this is truly the 21st century I’m waiting for.

Lazzarini Design via Daniele Sabatini