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Japan’s Suzuki to Make ‘flying cars’ with SkyDrive

For the development of flying cars, Japanese carmaker Suzuki Motor Corporation has agreed upon a deal with SkyDrive Inc. These EVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) airliners will be produced by both businesses at the former’s facilities in central Japan and the production is planned to begin in the spring of the next year.

flying cars
Image Source: reuters.com

Following the arrangement, Suzuki will assist with production arrangements, such as staffing, whereas SkyDrive will form an independent division to build the aircraft.

Multi-rotor aircraft capable of VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) are known as flying automobiles. The vehicles are primarily designed to transport a limited number of passengers, while certain types may also be used on land.

Since the beginning of the 20th century, several prototypes have been constructed employing various flying technology. The majority have been built to use a runway for traditional takeoff and landing. VTOL projects are growing, although only a small number of them have been completed so far.

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The central Japanese city of Toyota is home to SkyDrive, whose principal shareholders include the trade corporation Itochu Corp, the technology giant NEC Corp, as well as a division of the energy firm Eneos Holdings Inc. It agreed to collaborate with Suzuki on the study, and development, along with the commercialization of flying automobiles in March, last year.

Both businesses announced in a joint press release previously this year that two will collaborate to establish emerging markets, with their initial concentration on India. The Japanese carmaker will enter the fourth transportation market with its latest agreement, joining the ranks of cars, motorbikes, and marine motors.

Ex-engineers from Toyota founded SkyDrive in 2018, and they want to use their flying cars at the Osaka World Exposition happening in 2025.

One of the transportation sectors with the quickest growth is flying automobiles, with established brands like Toyota & Japan Airlines joining the industry via start-ups with strong development skills.

By the end of this decade, it’s very feasible that flying automobiles will rule the sky. In a recent conversation, Michael Cole, the top executive of Hyundai, UK, said that by the finish of the decade, such cars may be widely available throughout the globe.

“We could see some intra-city type application with the Urban Air Mobility for cargo, but maybe for passengers. But that’s towards the end of this decade and obviously smaller scale,” he said.

Source: auto.hindustantimes.com
Flying cars

Boeing and Porsche Partners to Target the Urban Air Mobility Market

We are moving forward towards the future that the sci-fi writers had always imagined. We are exploring the moon and walking on Mars. And on Earth, this is time to start riding the flying cars. From Uber to SeaBubble, many companies have shown their interest in flying cars-taxis and are already working on that. And after these companies, now it is Boeing’s turn to actually bring one, and for that, the company has partnered with the top luxury car brand, Porsche.

The two companies have signed an MoU, under which they together will be working to help reduce the traffic on the road and move it to the airspace, with their new concept for the “premium” eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) air cars.

“Porsche is looking to enhance its scope as a sports car manufacturer by becoming a leading brand for premium mobility. In the longer term, this could mean moving into the third dimension of travel. We are combining the strengths of two leading global companies to address a potential key market segment of the future,” said Detlev von Platen, member of the executive board for sales and marketing at Porsche AG, Germany.

Flying cars
Image source: TechCrunch

The two companies will be working on designing a new aircraft, that will also include its development and the testing. The companies will also be researching the urban air-mobility market for highly populated cities and metropolises.

Even Boeing has already started working on its flying cars and did conduct an inaugural test flight of an aerial car prototype early this year. For now, the companies are looking forward to bring flying cars that would be used for ride-sharing that would contribute to reducing the traffic as well as pollution for the big cities.

The companies will be assembling an international team with the experience and skills in the same field. The team will be analysing the scope and the viability of the electric flying cars in the coming future. Porsche has already been working and researching in the same field for quite some time now, and according to its researches, we can expect the eVTOL market to be active as soon as 2025. The companies like Uber are already up to building flying taxis, so by 2025, we may also see the Porsche air-taxis flying over us.