The Future is Here: The World’s First Manned Flying Car

Remember the 1960s cartoon series “The Jetsons?” The Hanna-Barbera sitcom followed George Jetson and his family, who live in a futuristic world where everyone had robot housemaids and drove around in flying cars. Though this show’s depiction of the future may have felt like a little bit of a stretch, one detail of the show may be closer than we think. Can you guess what it is? For the first time in history, a Japanese company has successfully tested a flying car with a person on board.

The SD-03

Sky Drive Inc. conducted its first public demonstration of their flying vehicle, the SD-03. It took place at the Toyota Test Field, which is one of the largest in the country. The SD-03 chartered in the early evening with a pilot at the wheel; it circled the field for about four minutes. To ensure flight stability and safety, there was a computer-assisted control system that monitored the endeavor. In addition to the system, the staff observed flight conditions and aircraft performance at all times.

An Unexplored Genre of Transportation

According to a press release made by the company, the SD-03 was created to be the world’s smallest electric vertical take-off and landing model. The car measures two meters high by four meters wide by four meters long and has eight motors in four locations. These motors ensure safety in emergencies, alleviate potential regulatory concerns, and address compliance standards. The motivation behind designing a new, unexplored genre of transportation, according to the company’s Design Director, Takumi Yamamot, was the keyword, “progressive.”

The Design

A lot of thought went into the car’s design; they wanted it to look futuristic and charismatic, but also incorporate the high technology that SkyDrive strives towards. The car’s exterior was painted white, as a representation of white birds and floating clouds. It seems like the future isn’t that far away. So, the only thing left to ask is, would you drive a flying car?