KATHMANDU: Japanese eVTOL startup SkyDrive has begun demonstration flights of its flying car service in Tokyo, moving closer to its planned commercial launch in 2028.
The trials were held near Tokyo Big Sight, where the company demonstrated the full passenger process, including check-in, boarding, take-off, and landing, according to Nikkei Asia.
The demonstration used the SkyDrive SD-05, an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft equipped with 12 motors for precise flight control. During the test, the aircraft flew about 150 meters at an altitude of 13 meters above Tokyo Bay at a speed of roughly 4 meters per second.
Although designed to carry one pilot and two passengers, the flight was conducted remotely without a pilot on board.
SkyDrive CEO Tomohiro Fukuzawa said the company plans to introduce flying cars in Tokyo gradually and expects another trial phase next year before starting commercial operations in 2028. The demonstration flights operated from a dedicated vertiport equipped with a flight management system and a passenger terminal with facial recognition gates.
Founded in 2018, SkyDrive has raised more than about $277 million from investors including Suzuki Motor Corporation, Itochu Corporation, Kansai Electric Power, and Mizuho Bank.
The company says flying car fares could initially match helicopter costs but may fall to around twice the price of a taxi or less after 2030, while offering travel times four to five times faster by avoiding road traffic.
SkyDrive has received 415 pre-orders from eight markets, including Indonesia, Vietnam, and India, and is currently seeking certification from Japanese regulators.
