World's Smallest eVTOL Gets Application Approval for Flying Car Certificate in Japan

SkyDrive plans to start commercializing its product in 2025, in the Osaka Bay area, claiming to be the first flying car developer to reach this stage in Japan. It is also the only company in the country to have successfully conducted manned test flights. With this application for a certificate being approved, SkyDrive can now work in a more relaxed manner to further develop and test its SD-03, making sure it complies with regulations.

The purpose of the MLIT issued certificate is to validate that the aircraft meets the environmental and safety requirements, in terms of design, structure, strength, and performance.

SkyDrive presented its SD-03 flying car model last summer, in what was the first public demonstration of a flying car in Japan. The demonstration took place at the Toyota Test Field, one of the largest in the country, measuring 2.5 acres (10,000 sq meters). The aircraft flew for approximately four minutes circling the field, controlled by both a pilot and a computer-assisted control system that ensured flight stability and safety.

The SD-03 is described by SkyDrive as the world’s smallest electric VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) aircraft, measuring 4m in length, 4m in width, and 2 m in height (13.1 x 13.1 x 6.5 ft). When on the ground, it takes up the space of two parked cars.

When it comes to the powertrain of the SD-03, the aircraft is equipped with electric motors that drive rotors deployed in four locations. As explained by SkyDrive, each location houses two rotors that individually rotate in opposite directions, driven by their own motor.