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Suzuki Motor Corporation and SkyDrive Inc. recently announced their partnership to accelerate the commercialisation of flying cars in Japan by 2025. What seemed like a dream is now becoming a reality. Gone are the days when flying cars were only seen in movies, now they are here in our midst. SkyDrive is the only company in Japan that has successfully conducted manned test flights and is now involved in designing a system for future air mobility as a member of Japan’s Public-Private Council for advanced air mobility. The Public-Private Council for Air Mobility Revolution was established in 2018. The project is expected to lead to taxi services in urban areas, new means of transportation for remote islands and mountainous areas, and emergency transportation in times of disaster. A roadmap has been formulated by the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism (MLIT) for the start of business in 2023 and full-scale deployment by 2030. SkyDrive’s cargo drones, which can carry payloads of up to 30kg, are already being used at worksites in Japan, mainly in mountainous areas. As a leading manufacturer of flying cars in Japan, SkyDrive is currently developing a compact, two-seater, electric-powered flying car. Suzuki is one of Japan’s leading automakers with expertise that includes manufacturing and selling compact cars in international markets. The company’s non-vehicle products include outboard motors for boats and motorised wheelchairs. It builds its lineup on its own and through numerous subsidiaries and joint ventures outside Japan. SkyDrive and Suzuki are planning to collaborate in various areas of business and technology that include tech research and development (R&D), planning of manufacturing and mass-production systems, development of overseas markets with an initial focus on India, and promotion of efforts to attain carbon neutrality. By 2025 SkyDrive aims to launch their air taxi service at the World Exposition in Osaka, Japan, as well as to initiate service in other regions of Japan. Suzuki aims to remain indispensable to people by staying closely attuned to sustainable living and providing accessible mobility. The partnership with SkyDrive will provide Suzuki with opportunities to explore and potentially add flying cars as a fourth mobility business. |
