At CES Unveiled on January 3 and CES 2022 from January 5 to 8, Tokyo-based aero tech startup SkyDrive will demonstrate its ultra-light and compact flying vehicle that it says requires no runway. Designed to vertically take off and land “with superb stability,” the emission-free EV (electric vehicle) is designed to enable fast and safe door-to-door transportation including for emergency rescue.

Successfully tested for manned flight, SkyDrive recently advanced toward commercialization with the Japanese transportation ministry’s acceptance of its type certificate application—a major milestone that no other flying vehicle developers have reached in Japan. CES 2022 will see the SD-03, a demonstration model for the new, autonomous SD-05, which is currently under development and targeted for air taxi use for World Expo 2025 in Osaka.

“SkyDrive’s emission-free vehicles can quickly take off from and land in your parking lot and helipads atop buildings, making door-to-door air service a realistic choice of daily urban transportation,” said Tomohiro Fukuzawa, SkyDrive CEO. “We are working harder and faster than ever to make this once-in-a-century mobility revolution a reality.

Fukuzawa says that the SD-03 is the culmination of his company’s expertise in drone technologies and aerodynamic engineering. Measuring 4.0 m (13 ft) long, 4.0 m (13 ft) wide, and 2.0 m (6.5 ft) tall, the single-seater eVTOL has eight propellers and a maximum takeoff weight of 400 kg (880 lb). It has a maximum cruise speed of 40-50 km/h (25-31 mph) and a flight time of 5-10 min.

SkyDrive was established in July 2018 with the mission of “leading a once-in-a-century mobility revolution.” Since then, it has been furthering its development of flying cars and cargo drones, working in partnership with others to promote the shared vision of “a future world where people can use air mobility as a means of transportation in their daily lives.” Backing that lofty goal are major shareholders such as Itochu Corp. and Itochu Technology Ventures, Inc.; Eneos Innovation Partners Co., Ltd.; Obayashi Corp. Energy & Environment Investment, Inc.; Strive, Inc.; Z Corp. Inc.; Drone Fund Inc.; Development Bank of Japan Inc.; NEC Corp.; VeriServe Corp.; and Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing Company, Ltd.

In the development of flying cars, SkyDrive says it is the only company in Japan that has successfully conducted manned test flights and it is involved in designing the future system of an air mobility society as a member of Japan’s Public-Private Council for advanced air mobility. The company’s cargo drones, which can carry payloads of more than 30 kg (66 lb), are already being used at worksites in Japan, mainly in mountainous areas.