Japan announced big investment plans into the developing of flying cars by 2023 . Athough big transportation companies like uber, boeing and airbus are on the race for eVTOLs. SkyDrive, one of japan’s newest flying car startups who recently unveiled the SD-XX two-seater flying car.
The Japanese government hopes to see flying cars in the skies above the country's major cities in only three years. SkyDrive’s CEO Tomohiro Fukuzawa discussed the road map his company is using to make flying cars a reality. It all begins with a manned flight that could happen as soon as this summer.
By 2028, the CEO wants the company to have an annual production rate of 100 flying cars. The aim beyond that is to ultimately make the flying cars as affordable as conventional luxury vehicles.
Fukuzawa added the service will be cheaper than taking a helicopter, which costs around $470 to $750 per trip.
According to Times, a number of prototypes proposed relate to the idea of flying 'taxis' that can be manned by professional pilots and are able to transport relatively large numbers of people. However, in SkyDrive's case, the company has developed a vehicle small enough to fit into two average parking spaces.
SkyDrive claims that its flying car, once in production, will be able to cruise at an altitude of 1,600 feet. It will also be able to achieve a top speed of about 40 miles per hour. The flying car, which will be the size of two conventional cars, will achieve lift thanks to its eight propellers.
Japan-based SkyDrive has developed a two-seater eVTOL vehicle currently at the testing stage, but is far from the only company exploring means to send our cars into the skies. Uber, Boeing, Airbus, AeroMobil, and other vendors are all exploring the VTOL space -- hoping to create a commercially-viable and safe craft first to jump ahead of competitors.
The government’s goal is using airspace to transport people in big cities, to avoid traffic jams, and providing a new mode of transport for mountainous areas and remote islands, or for use in case of natural disasters and other emergencies.
Noteworthy, the firm founded in 2018, the Tokyo-based startup has focused on the design, development, and manufacture of flying vehicles. Comprised of aircraft, drone, and automobile engineers, the company inked a deal with Toyota City in 2019 allowing the firm to make use of the city's 10,000m2 development base and indoor testing facilities.
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