SkyDrive Inc. has conducted the first public demonstration of its flying car known as the SD-05, billed as the better taxi for big cities. It stayed airborne for just 210 seconds or so, but the test was a success.
The 12-rotor VTOL has covered a distance of 150 meters (around 500 feet) over the Tokyo Bay. The company claims that the actual range is closer to 40 kilometers (25 miles). More importantly, the cost of transportation is only double that of a regular Tokyo taxi. It helps that the takeoff and landing can be done on a tiny patch of land – smaller than the standard helicopter landing pad.
SkyDrive argues that aerial taxis are also inherently faster than their land-bound counterparts. While the one in the video may seem sluggish, it nonetheless has the advantage of flying in a straight line, not bound by the restrictions of the ground infrastructure. Just when the authorities of Tokyo may deem such transports safe enough for mass adoption remains to be seen, though.
The next flight of the SD-05 will be taking place tomorrow, February 28, the company says.
