A group of Japanese engineers are aiming to launch the world's smallest flying car, the Skydrive, in time for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Designed by Cartivator, a Tokyo- and Toyota City-based non-profit run by a team of 30 volunteers, the three-wheeled Skydrive car is powered by four rotors and uses drone technology. The car aims to deliver a seamless transition from driving to flight.
The team's "first target" is to build the flying car and use it to light the Olympic flame at Tokyo's 2020 Summer Olympics.
Skydrive has a projected top speed of 93 miles (150 kilometres) per hour on land, and 62 miles (100 kilometres) per hour when airborne. It should fly at an altitude of up to 10 metres (33 feet).
While a number of other flying car models are also under development ? by firms such as Uber, Ehang and Airbus, to name just a few ? Cartivator claims that its Skydive model will be the world's smallest at just 2.9 metres (9.5 feet) by 1.3 metres (4.3 feet). The firm envisions that Skydrive will be an infrastructure-free mode of transportation, able to take off and land anywhere. The team also hope that it will be accessible to all through the use of ride-sharing.
"By 2050 we aim to create a world where anyone can fly in the sky anytime and anywhere,? said Cartivator. "To realise our vision, a compact flying car is necessary with a vertical takeoff and landing technology, which do not need roads and runways to lift off."
Airbus is another compa...