Highlights: Test flights have been conducted all over the country, and "flying cars" have become a hot topic recently. It is also called "a mobility revolution once every 100 years" and opens up in the world. "Flying car" is not a "car", but an "aircraft" with features such as "electric", "automatic", and "vertical takeoff and landing" It's not necessarily supposed to be on the road, but it is expected to become a familiar vehicle used for daily transportation like a car.

【NHK】Test flights have been conducted all over the country, and "flying cars" have become a hot topic recently. It is also called "a mobility revolution once every 100 years" and opens up in the world ...

"Flying car" Will you be able to ride it soon? Apr 4 at 25:15

Test flights have been conducted all over the country, and recently "flying cars" have become a hot topic.

Known as the "once-in-a-century mobility revolution," development competition is accelerating around the world.

But is it a "car" in the first place?
How is it different from a helicopter?
Will the world of science fiction movies come to life? How safe is it?
How will our mobility and lifestyles change?

We will tell you from the front line of understanding the "now" of "flying cars".

Q．“ Is a "flying car" a car in the first place?

A．“ A "flying car" is not a "car", but an "aircraft".

The government has come to call it this way because it is expected to become "a familiar vehicle used for daily transportation like a car."

It's not necessarily supposed to be on the road.

Here is the definition clarified for the first time by the council of the national government and businesses last month.

Definition of "flying car"〉
"An easy-to-use and sustainable next-generation means of air transportation realized by aviation technology such as electrification and automation, and operational forms such as vertical takeoff and landing"

It may seem a little stiff, but it is a next-generation vehicle with features such as "electric", "automatic", and "vertical takeoff and landing".

It is expected that unprecedented mobility will be realized.

In addition, in Japan and overseas, it is called "eVTOL" which means "electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft" and ▽ "AAM" from English, which means "advanced means of air transportation".

Q.What is the difference from a helicopter?

A.One of the points is that, compared to helicopters, takeoff and landing can be expected from familiar places in relatively small spaces, such as building rooftops and city parking lots.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, having multiple propellers makes it easier to maintain a posture and has the potential to take off and land in a more vertical form.

It is envisaged that a takeoff and landing field dedicated to flying cars called "Bartiport" will be developed.

Another point is that electrification reduces "noise" compared to helicopters, and it is seen that takeoffs and landings in the city are more acceptable.

In addition, it seems that the cost of manufacturing and maintenance will be reduced in the long term because there are fewer parts than conventional aircraft, and if autonomous driving eliminates pilots, it may be possible to reduce operating costs in the future.

Because of these characteristics, it is assumed that it will be used more frequently in daily life.

Q.When will it be realized? What are the global and domestic movements?

A.Europe is expected to realize this next year, as early as 2024.

For example, Germany's Volocopter is aiming to be realized in Paris, where the Olympic and Paralympic Games will be held.

This month, we are accelerating preparations for mass production in a city in southwest Germany with a factory for final assembly processes, a new hangar, and facilities for test flights.

In February, Japan, a group of small and medium-sized enterprises in Okayama Prefecture conducted the first manned test flight outdoors that requires permission from the government.

Since then, test flights carrying people have been carried one after another in Osaka City and Ehime Prefecture.

The goal is to put it into practical use at the 2 Osaka-Kansai Expo, which is less than two years from the opening, and routes connecting the venue to the airport and operating operators have already been announced.

This is the future outlook in Japan presented at the end of last month by a public-private council made up of the national government and businesses.

・FY2023
Test flights and demonstration flights Formulation
of various standards / around 2025 Start
of commercial operation, installation
of new "Virtiport" and routes, from the latter half of the 2020s Assuming
higher density of operation than conventional aircraft in
some cities Dedicated empty street "corridor" set up
from the 2030s
Autonomous operation and autonomous operation Possibility of further sophistication of operation

The government has listed more than 20 items that need to be considered for practical application, such as:

▼ Airworthiness standards ▼ Noise standards

▼ Size and strength
of airfields ▼ Licenses
of pilots and maintenance ▼ Equipment
of first-aid equipment ▼ Rules
of flight planning ▼ Operation when flying near airports, etc.

If that is done and we follow this outlook, the future in which we are riding in "flying cars" will not be far off.

Q.How much does it cost to ride?

A.In Europe and the United States, airlines have already announced specific flight routes.

For example, a route between Manhattan in New York and Newark Airport in the suburbs costs $1 per seat, which is about the same as a one-way taxi for one person.

If it is a car, it will arrive in less than 100 minutes instead of 1 hour or more during traffic jams, and it will start operating next year in 1.

In addition, Japan aircraft manufacturers will start pre-order sales for individuals from this month. The price is 10 million yen.

Regarding the future outlook, the president told NHK as follows.

Tomohiro Fukuzawa, CEO
of Skydrive, said, "We are developing the world's most compact aircraft that can stop anywhere, aiming for a society where people can move in the sky on a daily basis.

Q.What are the challenges? How is safety ensured?

A.In the unlikely event of a crash, it would be life-threatening, and secondary damage to people and objects on the ground could occur, so ensuring safety is the biggest issue.

For mass production, it is necessary to obtain a national "type certificate" through inspections at the design and manufacturing stages.

Basically, safety is inspected according to the same standards as today's aircraft, strength is inspected from the material level, and equipment such as batteries must have an extremely rare probability of catastrophic failure.

Manufacturers in Japan, the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom have already applied to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to obtain this type certificate for practical use in Japan, but the key is whether they can overcome this hurdle.

Even after obtaining a type certificate and putting it into practical use, the safety of each aircraft is inspected at regular intervals, just like automobile vehicle inspections.

The government also states that "flying cars" are equipped with multiple motors and rotors, which may increase the ability to continue operating with the other propellers even if one of the propellers stops.

In addition, there will be a license system for operation and maintenance, and passengers will be subject to security checks when boarding.

In order to achieve high-density flights while ensuring safety, we plan to introduce a dedicated airspace called a "corridor" in the future, which looks like an empty street.

Q.Are there any other issues besides safety?

A.There are many challenges for practical application.

For example, under the helicopter system, it is not possible to use the "emergency takeoff and landing field" on the roof of a high-rise building on a daily basis.

Since the height at which buildings and other buildings should not be installed around is strictly set, discussions are underway at the public-private council on how to design such a system based on the characteristics of "flying cars" while ensuring safety.

In addition, it is said that it is important to consider whether it will be accepted by society in the first place, and experts point out the following.

Manabu Iwamoto, Development
Bank of Japan: "Obtaining a national 'type certificate' will be recognized as safe as today's aircraft and helicopters, so obtaining it is a prerequisite for practical use. However, since flying cars are a new means of transportation, there are psychological hurdles to actually flying over people. It is important to first provide opportunities to experience the experience at the Osaka-Kansai Expo, and then introduce it in a form that is relatively easy to accept, such as routes over the sea and through mountainous areas, as well as sightseeing flights. It is necessary to accurately convey the fact that it is a developing technology and the issues, and to gain the understanding of the residents about the meaning and reason for flying in the area, and then proceed in stages."

Q.What kind of aircraft are available? How many passengers?

A.Various types of aircraft are being developed all over the world.

There are one-seater types that operate by oneself, types that travel relatively short distances with a two-seater with a pilot, types that can carry about five people and travel long distances, and automatic types that do not have a pilot.

Some aircraft are less than 1 meters long, while others are more than 2 meters wide.

It is expected to be used for various purposes such as flying taxis and private cars.

National councils roughly divide them into the following three types according to the shape of propellers and wings.

▼ Type that assumes short distances such as in cities with only propellers ▼ Type

with propellers and wings that are suitable for long distances ▼ Type that also has propellers and wings and changes the direction of the

propeller during takeoff and landing and when moving forward According to the Vertical Flight Association, more than 5 concepts of these three types alone have been developed around the world.

Q.What kind of usage is possible? Are you ready yet?

A.First of all, in urban areas, it is envisioned as a means of avoiding traffic jams in the future and being able to move around like a taxi or private car.

A design office in Tokyo has begun to consider building design as it expects to change significantly.

Since the construction of a building takes a long time, 10 years to complete, we have begun to formulate a concept for the design including the airfield, assuming the introduction of "flying cars."

Hiroyuki Suga of Nikken Sekkei
says, "Until now, all buildings were approached from the ground level, such as cars and railways, but there is an entrance on top of the building, and a node with the city is created there.

A major real estate company that owns about 30 buildings in Marunouchi, Tokyo, is considering whether it is possible to utilize the helicopter "emergency takeoff and landing field" on the roof of a high-rise building near Tokyo Station.

If the necessary laws and regulations are in place and a Bhartiport can be established in this location, we believe that we will be able to support the realization of a new lifestyle in which people commute to the city center by "flying car" while living in a place rich in nature in the suburbs.

Q.Is it being considered for use in rural areas as well?

A．「 Compared to ground transportation, "flying cars" are expected to be used in rural areas such as remote islands and mountainous areas and urban areas because they can reduce the cost of developing infrastructure such as roads and railroads, and there is a possibility that pilots will not be needed in the future.

For example, Niihama City in Ehime Prefecture faces the Seto Inland Sea.

The former copper mine site in the city resembles Machu Picchu in Peru, so it is called the "Machu Picchu of the East" and is gaining popularity with 5,<> visitors a year.

However, to get to this place at an altitude of 750 meters, it takes about one hour by car from the station. You have to climb a narrow and steep mountain road.

The city believes that if flying cars can be utilized, it will be possible to convey the appeal of flying cars to more people.

It can also be used as a means of rushing to remote islands in the city in the event of a disaster or emergency rescue.

The next-generation vehicle "flying car".

There are many issues that must be overcome, such as ensuring safety, creating standards and systems, and whether they will be accepted by society, but it is also expected that the realization of new mobility will lead to the resolution of social issues such as population decline and traffic congestion.

We will continue to pay attention to how future development and preparation will progress.

Social Affairs Department Reporter
Teppei
Yamashita Joined the Social Affairs Department
in 2013 and is in charge of aviation coverageI want to go to Amami Oshima, which has its roots in
flying cars!

Director
Yoshihiro
Kinoshita joined the bureau
in 2006 Good morning Japan and produced
a project I want to avoid traffic jams on the Tomei Expressway with flying cars!

Related program: Close-up modern "'flying cars' approaching realization: How will life change?"

Comprehensive distribution on NHK Plus from 4:25 a.m. on Tuesday, April 7 ~
Tuesday, May 30

"Flying Car" Will I be able to ride it soon? | NHK