We have lift off – with input from Suzuki!
Suzuki Adds Vertical Take Off And Landing Flying Vehicles To Its Portfolio!
VTOL
So VTOL or vertical take-off and landing flying vehicles are very much in the zeitgeist at the moment, and Suzuki are giving them a long hard look. In fact Suzuki, adding a new string to its bow after a long history of making motorcycles, have committed to getting involved with SkyDrive to help with the production and development of their new vertical take off and landing vehicles.
SkyDrive have already developed a single seat first model of its vertical take off machine and are working on the idea of a two seater to sell to private individuals going forward.
Suzuki are contributing to the project by offering Research and Development, something they have a great track record in from motorcycle development, plus planning for the production and manufacturing process and developing overseas markets.
SkyDrive are aiming to show the VTOL vehicle at the World Exposition in Osaka in Japan in 2025, and to run it as an air taxi service there too, so there’s quite a lot of pressure to get it up and running – er flying – fast!
So far the SkyDrive VTOL machine exists as a test vehicle powered by an electric engine, but the end product is planned to be able to reach speeds of 60mph with a flight time of 20-30 minutes carrying two passengers. It does feel like something out of Star Trek or Joe 90 (anyone else old enough to remember Joe 90’s Jet Air Car!) but hey some of that old science fiction/fantasy had it pretty spot on – prophetic – let’s hope Marine Boy’s Oxy-Gum is in the pipeline too eh!
What do you think of this idea, do you want to rush out and buy one or do you dread a sky full of joyriders and are holding out for Oxy-Gum?
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