“We will make sure that it’s legal,” DeSantis wrote on X, following Elon Musk’s unveiling of the long-awaited vehicle at a SpaceX facility in Texas last week.

The demonstration showed the Roadster using thrusters to become airborne, rotate 180 degrees and land on its wheels. Musk declared: “Flying cars are real”.

However, production is not expected before 2028, and Tesla has yet to announce a price for the thruster version.

DeSantis’s support would not settle the regulatory questions. Florida governs vehicle registration and road use, while federal agencies oversee vehicle safety and aviation. Insurance, liability, pilot requirements and infrastructure also pose challenges to bringing flying cars into widespread use.