Tokyo flying car makes test flight with hopes of launch by 2023

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A Japanese company has carried out a successful test flight of a 'flying car' after their vehicle lifted test driver into the air. SkyDrive is among the many companies working to develop a 'flying car' but their project took a step in the right direction after they successfully lifted their vehicle several feet off of the ground. In a video SkyDrive's car hovered in mid-air with a passenger inside for four minutes.

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Looks like a warmed-over helicopter to me and very slow.

I do believe flying cars are inevitable and one day they’ll be all over the place.

I just wonder how they would police the skyways. And imagine getting insurance on this thing.

And in Chicago imagine the many flyby hits taking place.

Anyway, check out this Japanese model in action.

a reply to: Willtell

Looks like a warmed-over helicopter to me and very slow.

A quadcopter, actually. A helicopter's flight is controlled by the rotor head. This has no rotor head.

Battery powered is a problem. A twenty minute flight then how long to recharge?

a reply to: Phage

A quadcopter, actually. Helicopters are controlled by the rotor head. This has no rotor head.

Thanks, I know little about the tech of flying.

A lot of questions.

How high would they fly?

How fast? This thing is slow as molasses right now.

It’s inevitable but I doubt where anywhere near having them around other than James Bond movies or on be restricted to special air spaces.

223 into the video james bond movies and NOT teh only car they rigged up to fly .
Flying cars are old news . And until Computer controlled cars come out science fiction . People have a hard enough time driving in 2 dementions .
Immange drunk while flying a car immange woman putting on lipstick texting while flying . The Government really wants to reduce the population flying cars would kill 20 million a year easy .

a reply to: midnightstar


I know their old news.

New news is whether they become prevalent.

Disaster in the making.

Most people can barely pull into a parking space at Walgreens.

The bigger question is, "How green is this thing?"

a reply to: Willtell

Higher than you would want to fall, for sure.
Highway speeds would not to be outrageous.

Far, far from practical transportation.

a reply to: Willtell

What did that thing get up to, maybe 3mph? Or whatever the measure is?

Anyway it’s a bad idea. Too many things for a regular person to control. Think about the drunk fliers.

a reply to: KansasGirl

Not much to control, probably. Just a joystick, with computer "governed" input.

a reply to: Willtell

lol 2023... You won't see these till at least 2050. We are no where the tech to do it safely and reliable. Its same reason we still playing around in low earth orbit.


Its a nice toy to sell to buddy at the cottage or lake. But commercial use not anytime soon

It all will be pretty much automated if it ever works. There will be no person flying it will all computer-controlled with sensors to avoid collisions. Point A to point B flying and I imagine if they ever are real-world applications it would have a parachute-like some small planes have, for catastrophic failure.

a reply to: Willtell

Looks like if you are to close to anyone they are chopped up.

a reply to: Willtell

And ya'll thought parts were expensive for your grocery getter?

Here is the thing on flying cars...you will not be flying them. The FAA will not allow the sky to be packed with vehicles out of their control. Meaning a computer will control 100% all your flight.

Thrill seekers buzzing airports to fly with the big planes? Nope.
Flying at the cruising altitude of commercial flights? Nope.
Bob and weave past skyscrapers in Manhattan like slalom course? Nope.

Sit and enjoy your Johnny Cab? Absolutely.

"Air Highways" established as lanes between 5G towers? On-board control handled by computer following each lane which use these waypoints as markers?

a reply to: TXRabbit

That would work.

A battery swap station would be a good way to exchange batteries quickly.
No mid-air refueling I guess. a reply to: Phage

a reply to: 2Faced

That would work.

originally posted by: Ahabstar
Here is the thing on flying cars...you will not be flying them. The FAA will not allow the sky to be packed with vehicles out of their control. Meaning a computer will control 100% all your flight.

Thrill seekers buzzing airports to fly with the big planes? Nope.
Flying at the cruising altitude of commercial flights? Nope.
Bob and weave past skyscrapers in Manhattan like slalom course? Nope.

Sit and enjoy your Johnny Cab? Absolutely.

Damn, I came here to say exactly this. Right down to the Johnny Cab reference.

GET OUTA MY HEAD!