Type Certificate App Approved for Japanese ‘Flying Car’

Japan has OK'd a type certificate program for the Skydrive crewed octocopter and the company says it plans to have an air taxi service using a larger aircraft by 2025. It’s the first type certificate application for a so-called “flying car” and was issued for the SD-03. The project is backed by Toyota. It’s a single-seat vehicle that looks like a cross between a drone and a helicopter. It can go 30 MPH and only flies for about 10 minutes. It’s a stepping stone to bigger things, said SkyDrive CEO Tomohiro Fukuzawa.

“We are very pleased that our application for type certification has been accepted and we will continue to work in close partnership with the government and MLIT to complete our development of a wholly safe and reliable flying car,” Fukuzawa said in a statement. The air taxi service will operate in the densely populated Osaka Bay area. The company already operates a commercial drone service that flies payloads of up to 75 pounds to remote worksites in mountainous areas.