Akihabara News (Tokyo) — Japanese eVTOL-maker SkyDrive has unveiled its long-awaited design for the SD-05, a two-seater flying car expected to enter practical service by the time of the 2025 World Expo in Osaka.
The design the firm has gone with is a wingless multicopter with twelve rotors, bearing resemblance to the VoloCity eVTOL of the German developer Volocopter, though with a somewhat more elegant form.
The specs offered by the firm make clear that the SD-05 is designed for short flights within major cities rather than regional travel–the listed operational flight time is only 5-10 minutes, and the maximum listed range is given as only 10 kilometers. Presumably these are the realistic targets expected for the inaugural 2025 version of the aircraft.
The twelve motors will utilize a battery electric propulsion system, accounting for limited flight time and range. On the other hand, such a design is likely to offer a high standard of safety, even in the case of an engine failure.
The maximum takeoff weight is estimated at 1,100 kilograms.
The overall materials used in the aircraft are described as “composite, aluminum alloy, etc.”
The firm also released the following short introductory video for the SD-05:
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