JapaneseeVTOLcompanySkyDrivehasannouncedit'sgoingintopartnershipwithSuzuki,asitworkstowardthedevelopmentandfull-scaleproductionofa"compact,two-seatingelectric-poweredflyingcar,"whichithopestodebutattheOsakaWorldExpoin2025.
SkyDrivewouldappeartobeJapan'sleadingeVTOLproject.Itsparentcompany,charminglynamedCartivator,wasfoundedonthebackofasmallinvestmentbyToyota.ItsCTO,NobuoKishi,joinedthecompanyafterholdinga"toppost"atMitsubishiAircraftCorporation,anditpartneredwithelectronicsgiantNEConademonstrationaircraftbackin2019.
Now,Suzukiiscomingonboard,"tocollaborateinareasofbusinessandtechnologythatincludetechnologyR&D,planningofmanufacturingandmass-productionsystems,developmentofoverseasmarketswithaninitialfocusonIndia,andpromotionofeffortstoattaincarbonneutrality."
Despitestickingmainlyintheautomotive,motorcycle,ATV,marineandenginebusinesses,Suzukiisperhapsabiggercompanythanitmightseem,shippingnearlythreemillionunitsandpullingdownalmostUS$29billioninrevenuein2020.Incarmanufacturingalone,itrankedasthe11thbiggestautomakerin2017.Ithasbeenslow,however,inmovingtoelectricpower.Indeed,Suzuki'sfirstall-electricconsumercarisn'texpecteduntil2025.
WhileSkyDrivehasflownsmallsingle-seatmulticopterconcepts,it'sstillunclearexactlywhatkindofaircraftit'sworkingonwithSuzuki.Mostoftheimageswe'veusedhereareofSkyDrive'sSD-XXconceptmodel,atandemtwo-seatdesignthatwouldappeartofitthisproject'sdescription.
Thisisan8-propcoaxialmulticopterairframe,withaglass-coveredcabin.It'sdesignedtoliftamaximumtakeoffweightof500kg(1,100lb)toamaxaltitudeof500m(1,640ft),flyingatamaxspeedof100km/h(62mph)forsomewherebetween20-30minutes.
Unusually,it'llactuallyfitthe"flyingcar"category,sinceitoffersadrivemodeaswell.Ontheground,itrestsonthreewheels–twosidebysidebeneaththecabin,andathirdextendingbackbehindthecabin.SkyDrivesaysit'splanningamaxdrivingspeedof60km/h(37mph),witharangebetween20-30km(12-18miles).
Ifweweretocriticizethedesign,whichisclearlyfarfromfinal,we'draisethefollowingpoints.Thelarge,curvedarmsthatcomeoffthetopoftheairframetosupporttheverticalpropulsionpodslookcool,buttheylooklikeabitofawasteofweight,andwhileslightlywing-likeinappearance,theylooklikethey'dcontributeverylittlelift.
Centerofgravityalsolookslikeanissue;withtheweightofapilotinthefront,itlookslikeit'llbenose-heavy,withitsfrontwheelsjustforwardofthemiddleofthevehicle.Steeringandbrakingcouldeasilypitchthisthingforwardfromthelooksofit.
AndwhileSkyDrive'spartnerscertainlyhavealotofexpertiseincertifyingroad-registerablecars,thedecisiontomakeadual-modevehiclewilladdenormouscost,weightandoverheadontopofthealreadydauntingtaskofgettingtheairframeitselftypecertifiedforanykindofcommercialoperation.Aflyingcarmightmakemoresenseasaconsumerproductthananairtaxi,soSkyDrivecouldpotentiallylookintosellingthemdirecttopilotsunderlessonerous"buy'n'fly"regulations.
Butairtaxioperationsaredefinitelyakeygoal,accordingtothepressrelease."SkyDriveaimstobeginairtaxiserviceduringthe2025WorldExpositioninOsaka,Japan,aswellastoinitiateserviceinotherregionsofJapan."High-profilepublictaxiflightsbeginningthreeyearsfromnextmonth?Eep.Bestgetcrackingonafinaldesign,prototypes,flighttesting,certification,productionandalltherestofit,team!
