The Japanese startup SkyDrive has successfully conducted a test flight of its SD-05 air taxi over Tokyo Bay. The compact vehicle remained in the air for three and a half minutes, confirming that the technology is ready for use in urban environments.
Unlike noisy helicopters, the SD-05 is powered by 12 electric motors and batteries. Visually, the craft resembles a large quadcopter designed for three people. The model’s main advantage is its compactness: it does not require large landing pads and can land even in densely built-up city areas.
The developers believe that flying cars will free megacities from traffic jams. Travel time will be reduced by 4–5 times: a journey that takes an hour by conventional taxi can be completed by air taxi in just 12–15 minutes.
According to the company’s CEO, Tomohiro Fukuzawa, the cost of a flight in the future will be only twice as expensive as a regular taxi service. This will make rapid air travel accessible to the general public and effectively solve the problem of urban congestion.
«THE ASHGABAT TIMES».
