Japan-based startup unveils its flying car at CES 2022, plans to enter market by 2025

Japan's aircraft manufacturing company SkyDrive, which unveiled its ultra-light compact flying car, SD-03 at CES 2022, is aiming to start its flying taxi service by 2025. Tokyo-based company was established in July 2018 and has invested in developing electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles and cargo drones. According to company, y are designing super stable eVTOLs to enable fast and safe door-to-door transportation anywhere, including uses for emergency rescue.

SkyDrive CEO Tomohiro Fukuzawa said as per a company statement, "SkyDrive’s emission-free vehicles can quickly take off from and land in your parking lot and helips atop buildings, making door-to-door air service a realistic choice of daily urban transportation. We are working harder and faster than ever to make this once-in-a-century mobility revolution a reality". As mentioned above, company showcased its innovation at ongoing CES 2022 event in Las Vegas, which was also SkyDrive's first event outside Japan. 

vehicle showcased at event was Model SD-03, which was a demonstration for  autonomous SD-05 which is currently under development. company is aiming to kickstart its business with latter after unveiling it as a flying taxi at  World Expo 2025 in Osaka. It is worth mentioning that SkyDrive has been tested for manned flights and recently got certified by Japanese government. "SkyDrive recently vanced toward commercialization with Japanese transportation ministry’s acceptance of its certificate application, a major milestone that no or flying vehicle developers have reached in Japan", company said in its statement. 

Features of SkyDrive's SD-03 unveiled at CES 2022

model released by SkyDrive at CES 2022 is a driver-only vehicle that runs on electricity and is equipped with eight propellers. As per SkyDrive's description of vehicle, it can carry a maximum weight of 400 kg and is capable of cruising at 40-50 kilometres per hour for five to ten minutes. company h revealed  first proto of its eVTOL in 2018 and conducted first manned flight in 2020. According to a report by Interesting Engineering, more companies such as Lilium and Volocopter are also planning to kickstart ir flying car business this dece.

Image: Twitter/@Skydrive_Global