Toyota flying car
Toyota's flying car model can accommodate up to 5 people. Photo: Toyota

Toyota aims to begin commercial operations of flying cars in the Middle East and other regions as early as 2025. The company also plans demonstration flights at the Osaka-Kansai Exhibition.

The first flight in Japan was conducted by startup Joby Aviation at the Toyota Higashi-Fuji Technical Center in Susono, Shizuoka Prefecture, in late October. The media was introduced to the prototype at the research facility on November 2.

The flying car is about 6m long and 12m wide, carrying up to 5 people, including crew and passengers. During a flight at an altitude of 500m, the noise level is reported to be 45 decibels, quieter than a regular car (70 decibels) or human conversation (60 decibels).

The company is in the process of obtaining the necessary licenses from aviation authorities in the US, Japan, Europe... to be able to operate commercially.

Toyota's interest in aviation dates back to 1943, when founder Kiichiro Toyoda created a prototype helicopter. To date, the Japanese company has invested about $900 million (about 130 billion yen) in Joby and has deployed dozens of managers and engineers to support it.

At the event on November 2, Toyota President Akio Toyoda held one of the propellers used in the flying car and declared: "With this technology, it will only take 25 minutes to travel from central Tokyo to Higashi-Fuji, changing daily life."

(According to Japan News)