A pilot-controlled test flight was held at Osaka Castle Park on the 14th for the "flying car," which is expected to be put to practical use at the Osaka-Kansai Expo two years later.
"Flying cars" are vehicles that fly electrically using technology such as drones, and the goal is to commercialize them at the Osaka/Kansai Expo the year after next.
On the 14th, a test flight was held at Osaka Castle Park by major trading company Marubeni, which was selected as one of the operators to operate the "flying car" to the Expo venue.
The test flight actually operated by the pilot was used for an American-made aircraft with a total length of 4.5 meters, a height of 2.4 meters, and a weight of 221 kg, with 18 propellers.
As the propellers began to turn, the aircraft slowly rose to a height of approximately 8 meters.
Then, after moving back and forth, left and right, and turning in a 50-meter square, it returned to its original location and landed.
According to the Civil Aviation Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, this is the first time in Japan that a "flying car" has actually been operated by a pilot in a public space.
Satoshi Takechi, General Manager of Marubeni's Aerospace & Defense Division, said, "I think this demonstration flight has made it easier to imagine the actual operation at the Expo. We discussed the legal treatment of 'flying cars'. At the same time, I would like to aim for social implementation beyond the Expo.”