Hyogo Prefecture, SkyDrive/Flying car implementation cooperation agreement, flight demonstration at the 2025 World Expo

Hyogo Prefecture, SkyDrive/Flying car implementation cooperation agreement, flight demonstration at the 2025 World Expo

Governor Saito (left) and CEO Fukuzawa

Hyogo Prefecture and SkyDrive (SkyDrive, Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, Representative Director and CEO Tomohiro Fukuzawa ) signed a partnership agreement on the 24th for the early implementation of flying cars, which are expected to be next-generation air mobility. tied. The prefectural government considers possible departure and arrival port sites and assists in route verification, etc., and supports the company, which is engaged in the development of the actual aircraft. One of the leading candidate sites for the port is the Phoenix business site (Higashikaigan-cho, Amagasaki City), where a parking lot will be set up outside the venue of the 2025 Osaka Kansai Expo. At the time of the Expo, we will conduct a flight demonstration that goes back and forth between the base in the prefecture and Yumeshima, Osaka, where the venue is located.

At the signing ceremony held in Kobe City, Governor Motohiko Saito said, "It is necessary to increase social acceptance so that the citizens of the prefecture will accept flying cars as a new means of transportation. We would like to take advantage of the various fields in the prefecture, such as inland natural areas, and use the knowledge we have cultivated through the use of drones to promote initiatives that will help children have dreams for the future."

CEO Fukuzawa said, "I think the Kansai area, which is bustling with people at the Expo, and the Setouchi area, which has excellent scenery, are suitable areas for flying cars to take off and land for the first time. Hyogo Prefecture has both, and we were able to conclude a partnership agreement. I am very honored to be able to do this, and I am delighted that the groundwork for flying cars to take root in the region will begin."

　FY2023 = "hop" (consideration stage) ▽ FY2024 = "step" (demonstration stage) ▽ FY2013 = "jump" (expo 2013) - In fiscal 2023, 50 million yen is scheduled to be included in the initial budget proposal. In addition to setting up the Next-Generation Air Mobility Conference (provisional name) to study usage scenarios, we will select about three port candidate sites in the prefecture. We will also promote information dissemination to improve social acceptance.

In parallel with this, from FY2023 to FY2024, support will be provided for business matching, business consideration, flight route consideration, demonstration work, etc. for a business team consisting of manufacturers, operators, and service providers.

"SD-05" is scheduled to operate during the Expo. It is a two-seater and is 9.4 meters long, 9.4 meters wide and 2.7 meters high. Equipped with 12 electric motors and propellers, it can fly continuously for 5 to 10 kilometers at a maximum cruising speed of 100 kilometers.