Japan’s flying car manufacturer SkyDrive announced on Thursday that it has begun receiving private orders from customers that want a flying car.
SkyDrive said it has received its first private customer order, selling the two-seater SD-05 aircraft for $1.5 million.
The client is Kotaro Chiba, a licensed pilot who was the first owner of a HondaJet in Japan.
“I’ll be the first owner of SkyDrive SD-05,” Chiba, who is also an investor in the Tokyo-based firm, said in a Twitter post on Thursday. “Japan’s skies will be free with SkyDrive.”
SkyDrive, which previously had just targeted business-to-business pre-order sales, started accepting orders from private customers on Thursday. The firm plans to ship the aircraft as early as 2025. The price tag does not include maintenance or operation fees.
SkyDrive CEO Tomohiro Fukuzawa said in a statement that his firm has been receiving numerous inquiries from both individuals and businesses.
“We will develop fully automated aircraft in the future and further promote the realization of a society where everyone utilizes the sky for daily transportation,” he said.
Industry officials view the air mobility space as a ripe opportunity for innovation for the country’s well-established auto industry. Electric powered aircraft — like SkyDrive’s SD-05 model — which possess vertical takeoff and landing capabilities are viewed as ways to help alleviate congestion.
