Japanese eVTOL company SkyDrive has partnered with Suzuki, as it works toward the development of a compact, two-seating electric-powered flying car

SkyDrive, a Japanese startup developing zero-emission flying vehicles and heavy-lift cargo drones, and Suzuki Motor Corporation, a leading automaker, have announced a partnership for the commercialisation of flying cars (formally known as eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft).

As a new advancement in the field of mobility, the development of flying cars is being promoted in many countries around the world. In Japan, the Public Private Council for Air Mobility Revolution was established in 2018. 

The project is expected to lead to taxi services in urban areas, new means of transportation for remote islands and mountainous areas, and emergency transportation in times of disaster. A roadmap has been formulated by the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism (MLIT) for the start of business in 2023 and full-scale deployment in 2030.

Designing a system for future air mobility 

Established in July 2018, SkyDrive has the mission of ‘leading a once-in-a-century mobility revolution.’ Since then, it has advanced the development of flying cars and cargo drones while working in partnership with others to promote the shared vision of a future in which people use air mobility as a means of transportation in their daily lives.