SkyDrive, a Toyota-affiliated startup in Japan, has crossed a major hurdle on the path to bringing flying cars to everyday life.
According to New Atlas, the company's electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, the three-seat "SkyDrive," has officially been issued a G-1 certification basis by the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau — a critical step toward full approval and commercial use.
"The road to aircraft certification is broad and complex, particularly for new aircraft such as eVTOLs," the company noted, adding that this latest agreement "provides further clarity and direction."
That clarity matters because the company is showing off the SkyDrive at the 2025 World Expo in Osaka.
Regulators and engineers now have a shared blueprint for what the aircraft must prove in order to safely enter commercial service. It's a technical but transformative moment.
The SkyDrive itself is designed to be a quieter, simpler, and cleaner alternative to traditional helicopters and short-distance cars.
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Roughly 38 feet long and powered by 12 electric rotors, it can carry one pilot and two passengers at speeds up to 62 miles per hour. With a range of 9 to 25 miles on a single charge, it's built for quick urban hops — offering the potential to shrink commutes, cut traffic, and avoid air pollution.
Because it's battery-powered, the SkyDrive produces no tailpipe emissions. That's not only a win for the climate — it's also a win for city dwellers, with potential health benefits ranging from lower noise pollution to fewer respiratory issues caused by traffic exhaust.
This progress puts SkyDrive among a growing class of innovators working to reduce dirty-fueled traffic and improve city life. Like Joby Aviation and other clean transportation startups, SkyDrive is focused on designing tech that works for both people and the planet.
The sky, it seems, is no longer the limit.
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