SkyDrive take-off possible by 2025
TOKYO: While flying cars may seem like a futuristic fantasy from science fiction movies, a start-up in Japan is aiming to offer people rides in such vehicles in about three years’ time at the World Expo in Osaka.
SkyDrive Inc, a developer of flying cars founded only four years ago, demonstrated the country’s first public test flight of a manned vehicle in August last year, and hopes to introduce such mobility as an option that has advantages over existing modes of transport.
“Our mission is to drive a once-ina-century mobility revolution,” chief executive Tomohiro Fukuzawa said. “One hundred years ago, automobiles and planes were introduced to humans (allowing us) to go anywhere we wanted. After that, for one hundred years, there was no revolution ... but only improvement.”
The Tokyo-based company, with about 100 employees including engineers from Toyota Motor Corp and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd, signed a partnership agreement with Osaka Prefecture and the city of Osaka in September, 2021 to work toward the practical utilisation of its flying cars in the western Japan metropolis ahead of the expo.
Osaka governor Hirofumi Yoshimura has said he wants flying cars to begin carrying passengers in the Osaka Bay area in 2024, such as by shuttling the around five kilometres between Universal Studios Japan and the city’s Yumeshima artificial island, the venue of the expo.
“The strong leadership of Osaka Prefecture and Osaka city is now pushing ahead our project,” said Fukuzawa, who used to work in Toyota’s procurement operations, expressing hope that the partnership will lead to the social acceptance of such vehicles.
“From here, we will go straight to the 2025 Osaka Expo to start flying cars,” he said.
About 150 countries and 25 international organisations are expected to participate in the expo, which will take place between April 13 and Oct 13, 2025. Over 50 nations had confirmed their participation as of Aug 20, 2021 according to the organisers.
Companies around the world have been developing flying cars, formally called “electric vertical take-off and landing” or eVTOL vehicles, with about 10 starting manned test flights, Fukuzawa said.
SkyDrive’s SD-03 used for the test flight is powered by electric motors that drive rotors deployed in four locations, with each location housing two rotors, and the company is aiming to develop the world’s smallest eVTOL vehicle.
“Flying cars are quieter and easier to operate than helicopters,’’ Fukuzawa said.
The Japanese government is also pushing the development of flying cars, in collaboration with private companies in the logistics and automobile sectors, for purposes such as transportation in rural areas and disaster relief.
In 2018, a public-private panel established by the government drew up a road map stating that it aims to start commercial flying vehicle services in the mid-2020s, while stating that improved safety and reliability are among the challenges that need to be addressed.