Although it may seem like a very typical phrase, the future is already here. It is a reality of the automotive industry that, thanks to increasingly rapid technological advances, the models available every day are more futuristic, modern, and “science fiction”.

The latest presentation from SkyDrive confirms this: its new SD-03 model is a flying car that made the perfect flight on the day it premiered, much to the delight of all who attended the Toyota Test Field.

SkyDrive CEO Tomohiro Fukuzawa expressed the company’s joy at being the organizer of this first flight of a flying car in Japan.

This short flight lasted about four minutes, the company reported, and the pilot was in control all the time, but received computer support to ensure stability and safety on the flight.

The revolution in mobility

The SD-03 is designed to be the world’s smallest eVTOL (vertical takeoff and landing). Its dimensions are two meters high, four in width and another four in length and its volume does not occupy more space than two parked cars.

In terms of flight mechanics, the SD-03 has a total of eight electric motors that maintain flight safety, even in emergency situations. According to SkyDrive, it will give a new meaning to the world of transportation in the near future.

Until now this model of mobility was used to transport goods. The SkyDrive SD-03 is designed to reach people’s lives for use in everyday travel.

The project

Three years ago Toyota already announced plans to create a flying car by 2020. Today, after this period, it can be confirmed that the company has fulfilled its promise with the new SD-03 brand SkyDrive ready to fly.

The new SD-03 has only one seat, that of the pilot. However, although it is currently the only flying car model developed by Toyota, it is clear that its ultimate goal is to have a fleet of flying taxis, and the company announced that the first of these will be ready by 2023.

Recently, the SkyDrive team shared a video on their social networks in which they can already see the new SD-03 in action, in this case making a vertical takeoff and landing. All tests were conducted at Toyota Test Field in Toyota City, located on the outskirts of Nagoya, Japan.

In the video you can see how the pilot takes off SD-03 and how he climbs a few meters. It then performs various maneuvers and rotations to finish landing fairly easily. This test shows the excellent maneuverability of this eVTOL, although it also leaves many doubts about its autonomy, its load capacity or maximum speed.

However, Toyota is not the only company that has jumped into the eVTOL market. Other high-end companies, such as Uber, Boeing, Airbus or UPS, are developing models similar to the SD-03, although this is a small and compact size that distinguishes it from models developed by other brands.

In terms of its power, this eVOTL is known to comprise eight electric motors (one for each propeller). This gives the vehicle stability as well as a high level of safety, as if any part of the vehicle fails it will continue to run on the SD-03, thanks to the rest of the engines that have not been damaged.

Toyota continues to work with the ambitious goal of having a fleet of flying taxis by 2023. At the moment, the company is focusing on continuing its testing and improving the vehicle to meet all operating requirements (initially in Japan).