The flying cars could start operating from 2025 in Japan.
The SkyDrive company has obtained the first safety certificates for its eVTOL flying cars in Japan, which will allow them to market them from 2025.
SkyDrive applied for a type certificate, issued by the country’s Ministry of Lands, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), which certifies the safety of the vehicle. Rigorous tests are applied that test the strength and flight capabilities of the aircraft, while the company also has to submit a large amount of data and manufacturing plans related to the concept.
To date, this is the first time this approval has been given to a flying car.
Air taxis
SkyDrive’s eVTOL electric flying car concept is currently represented by the SD-03, which conducted a successful manned flight demonstration in August 2020 .
With a single seat, the SD-03 is powered by eight propellers in a quadcopter formation and has a range of around 10 minutes of flight time, reaching top speeds of 30 miles per hour.
During the world debut, a pilot took off vertically before flying around a test area and landing softly.
The SD-03 is currently used as a drone charging service in Japan, but with safety certification, SkyDrive now hopes to bring its vehicles to a flying taxi service as early as 2025.