In the last week of August, Toyota-sponsored SkyDrive autonomous flying car, the SD-03 prototype, carried out a successful test flight.
When Toyota engineers decided in 2012 to design and build a flying car in their spare time, they hardly thought they would run a public test flight in Tokyo as part of a multi-million dollar budget program by the end of the decade.
Until 2017, the Cartivator project operated as a virtually non-profit hobby club, in which, in addition to the aforementioned Toyota professionals, employees from other companies working in other fields also participated, developing the prototype from weekend to weekend. Then, when the Toyota Group’s 15 companies provided significant financial support for the Cartivator project, events accelerated: they created SkyDrive, a company that has come to the attention of more and more investors in recent years.
After the company first conducted a successful test flight with a pilot-controlled, multi-rotor aircraft in Japan just half a year ago, the next-generation, more graceful SD-03 prototype has now been unveiled and tested. The four-meter-long and equally wide vehicle has a height of two meters, with two encapsulated swivels rotating in opposite directions at each of the four corners to move the single-seat structure along vertical and horizontal planes. Each impeller is driven by its own electric motor; this design was chosen primarily for safety reasons.
The test flight took place on August 25 at Toyota’s central test track. In the ten-thousand-square-meter facility belonging to the car manufacturer’s R&D center, the single-seater structure rose into the air in the early evening, and then landed safely after about four minutes of flight. The developers sent the prototype together with a test pilot for safety, but in the end he didn’t have to intervene: the self-driving computer of the flying car perfectly controlled the entire flight process.
The SkyDrive SD-03 is the world’s smallest eVTOL (electric-powered, vertical take-off and landing) aircraft, in line with the developers ’original ideas.
“The larger and stronger the rotor blades, the slower they respond to gas commands and the harder it is to precisely control the direction and height of the flying car.”
Ryutaro Mori, a member of the company’s board of directors and co-founder, explained in an earlier interview. They also agreed from the outset that the control of the flying car should be entrusted to advanced autonomous software.
“Even if the pilot initially sits in the driver’s seat, semi-autonomous control will provide ongoing support.”
Ryutaro Mori explained at the time, adding that the flying car would not be a boring structure yet:
“There will also be flying cars that are being developed specifically for leisure purposes, for the pleasure of flying, and that pilots will be able to take full control of them.”
Although the design of the SD-03 prototype is clearly reminiscent of the drones also included in SkyDrive’s portfolio, the design emphasized the need to determine at first glance which nose and tail. The pearly white paintwork of the coupe-like body was inspired by flying birds and clouds drifting in the sky. As for the next steps of the project, SkyDrive will start longer test flights in increasingly complex environmental conditions, partly to improve the technology, partly to get closer to the final goal, type certification and regulatory approval.
The company hopes the SD-03 will be able to leave the closed test track before the end of the year and continue testing in the open field. Chief Technology Officer Nobuo KISHI is setting fairly tight deadlines for the company: plans to launch SkyDrive airplane transport services as early as fiscal 2023, and free-to-market airplanes from 2030, with significant additional generous support from Toyota.
Recent article
Additional aircraft News & Articles
Japanese startup that makes flying “motorcycles” goes public
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
Rolls-Royce’s microreactor is a new dimension in propulsion
Flying Cars News & Articles
The X2 flying car can fly under certain conditions
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
Jetoptera is developing an FPS-powered aircraft
Air taxi News & Articles
Development of Airbus’ air taxi could accelerate
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
NASA’s new engine in action
Drones News & Articles
India also sees potential in agricultural drones
Drones News & Articles
Airbus launches drone production
Flying Cars News & Articles
SkyDrive Japanese flying car to enter commercial service in 2026
Additional aircraft
ARC Aerosystems’ newest aircraft the Linx P9
Drones News & Articles
Expect lots of drones in the future
Propulsion-Fuel
NASA funds development of a new type of nuclear engine
Drones News & Articles
The world’s fastest flying four-rotor drone
Drones News & Articles
The drone market is a good long-term investment
Drones News & Articles
In Romania, a drone is already taking samples from hospitals to the robotic laboratory
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
ZeroAvia’s Dornier with hydrogen-electric propulsion system flies for the first time
EVTOL & VTOL
What growth can we expect in the Evtol market in the coming years ?
Drones News & Articles
Flying drone home delivery is also being tested in Budapest
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
How are air traffic control and air navigation services adapting to eVTOL ?
Flying Cars News & Articles
What safety measures would be introduced in flying cars to prevent accidents ?
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
Revolutionising crop production with aircraft
Drones News & Articles
Valkyrie drone placed in the US Air Force National Museum
Drones News & Articles
Black Swan unmanned aircraft can handle transport in Europe
Drones News & Articles
Drone-operated motorway planned in the UK
Air taxi News & Articles
What impact will the development and introduction of air taxis have on the workforce and the labour market ?
Drones News & Articles
Edible wing drone could save people in distress
Additional aircraft News & Articles
Could modernised versions of airships return ?
Additional aircraft News & Articles
Aviation on the verge of a revolution
Drones News & Articles
Chinese drone could stay in the air almost forever
Additional aircraft News & Articles
The world’s first flying motorcycle is about to fly
Drones News & Articles
Walmart’s drones now deliver in seven Member States
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
How are companies and governments working to develop and regulate electric Evtols and what challenges do they face in bringing these vehicles to market ?
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
What developments have been made in the field of electric motors ?
Air taxi News & Articles
Stellantis joins forces with air taxi developer Archer
Flying Cars News & Articles
The Alef A flying car is on sale – taxis could be on the way in three years
Flying Cars News & Articles
The Israeli flying car on AIR
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
The first supersonic aircraft engine to run on sustainable fuel
Drones News & Articles
Drones could help weather forecasting
EVTOL & VTOL
The Volocopter is also expected to be commercialised in 2024
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
Joint electrification between Renault and Airbus
More articles you may be interested in...
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
ZeroAvia’s Dornier with hydrogen-electric propulsion system flies for the first time
EVTOL & VTOL
What growth can we expect in the Evtol market in the coming years ?
Drones News & Articles
Flying drone home delivery is also being tested in Budapest
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
How are air traffic control and air navigation services adapting to eVTOL ?
Drones News & Articles
Walmart’s drones now deliver in seven Member States
Walmart's drone delivery program is expanding nicely. According to the company, shoppers in seven US.......... READ MORE
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
How are companies and governments working to develop and regulate electric Evtols and what challenges do they face in bringing these vehicles to market ?
Electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles, or Evtols, have garnered significant attention in recent years.......... READ MORE
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
What developments have been made in the field of electric motors ?
The increasing demand for energy efficiency and the adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles have.......... READ MORE
Air taxi News & Articles
Stellantis joins forces with air taxi developer Archer
The goal is to have the Midnight, a local take-off and landing vehicle designed for.......... READ MORE
Flying Cars News & Articles
The Alef A flying car is on sale – taxis could be on the way in three years
The Alef A model is a flying car being sold by Alef Aeronautics for around.......... READ MORE
Flying Cars News & Articles
The Israeli flying car on AIR
An Israeli start-up is attempting to distinguish itself by creating an eVTOL intended for widespread.......... READ MORE
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
The first supersonic aircraft engine to run on sustainable fuel
Boom Supersonic's Overture aims to revolutionize supersonic passenger travel with its new engine. The Overture.......... READ MORE
Drones News & Articles
Drones could help weather forecasting
A drone with a wind sensor was used to collect weather data in the Sea.......... READ MORE