Sky Drive Inc. held the public demonstration on August 25, the company said in a news release at Toyota Test Ground, one of the largest in Japan and home to the production base of the automotive industry. This was the first public exhibition in Japanese history for a flying vehicle.
The vehicle, called SD-03, was manned by a pilot and took off and circled the field for about four minutes.
According to the manufacturer, the SD-03 is the smallest electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle in the world and occupies the space of around two parked cars. It has eight engines to guarantee "safety in emergencies."
The company said it aimed to make the vehicle ready for purchase in Japan by 2023, with reports indicating it might cost upwards of $300,000
.The car is not the first human step into a brave new world of airborne cars.
Several other companies, including Boeing, Airbus, Toyota and Hyundai are working on similar projects
