We may be living on the threshold of a mobility revolution. Tokyo based SkyDrive Inc, made on August 25 the first public demonstration of a flying car in Japanese history. The four-minute flight was still executed in the safe compounds of the Toyota Test Field. The single person electric battery powered flying car, dubbed the SD-03, has eight rotors and takes double the space of an ordinary car.
The young company, founded in 2012 by members of a volunteer organization called Cartivator, began developing a “flying car” in 2014 and also develops large load carrying drones, which will also see soon a bright commercial future.
There is also much optimism in Japanese business circles, as is evidenced by the ¥3.9 billion fundraising through the allocation of new shares to 10 investors, including Development Bank of Japan Inc.
But many hurdles (gvt. Air Traffic Supervision and unit production cost) have still to be taken before the masses will be crisscrossing in the (urban) skies… although Morgan Stanley expect urban air taxis to be common by 2040, with the global market projected to be $1.4 trillion to $2.9 trillion by then!