The Flying Car Will Become A Reality 飞行汽车即将成真

A Japanese startup called SkyDrive has begun conducting test flights of their prototype flying car with a human pilot.

The company hopes to be able to make a full public demonstration of the vehicle later this summer.

The test flights are being conducted at a protected indoor facility at the companys research flight center outside of Nagoya.

There have been a number of previous test flights， but they were all conducted via remote control and no human pilot on board.

According to a report in The Asahi Shimbun， SkyDrive says the car could be ready for a limited retail release as early as 2023， and mass production by 2026.

SkyDrive was founded by former engineers from Toyota and they hope their vehicle to be “the worlds smallest flying car”.

In 2017， Toyota gave the company an infusion of around $350，000 to help develop flying vehicles.

The company said it wont say more about how the test flights have been proceeding， but says things are going well enough to continue conducting test flights.

While concept renders of the flying car present a glossy and slim cabin with four horizontal drone-style propellers at each corner， the testing vehicle looks more like a go kart.

The prototype is around 5 feet tall thanks to the roll bar and a little less than 12 feet long and 12 feet wide.

The company hopes the flying vehicles could help ease traffic congestion， especially in busy megalopolises like Tokyo.

SkyDrive also believe flying vehicles could be helpful in search and rescue missions， and during emergencies where conventional infrastructure becomes unusable.

The company is targeting top speeds of 62mph while in the air and 93mph while closer to the ground.

The company says the vehicle will be able to travel as low as three feet off the ground.

日本一家名为“天空驾驶”的初创公司已开始对其飞行汽车原型进行试飞，试飞时有一名驾驶员在车内。

该公司希望能在今年夏天对这款车进行全方位的公开展示。

试飞是在该公司位于名古屋郊外的飞行研究中心的一个受保护的室内设施中进行的。

该公司之前已进行过数次试飞，但都是通过遥控进行，无人驾驶。

据《朝日新闻》报道，该公司表示，这款车最早将于2023年开始限量出售，2026年开始量产。

这家公司由日本丰田公司的前工程师创立，公司希望这款汽车成为“世界上最小的飞行汽车”。

2017年，丰田向该公司注资约35万美元，帮助研发飞行车辆。

该公司表示，不会透露更多有关试飞的进展，但表示一切顺利，试飞可以继续进行。

虽然按照概念描述，飞行汽车有光滑细长的机舱，四个角上还各有一个水平的无人机风格的螺旋桨，但测试车辆看起来更像一辆卡丁车。

由于有翻车保护杆，原型机大约5英尺高（约合1.5米），不到12英尺长，12英尺宽。

该公司希望这款飞行车辆有助于缓解交通拥堵，特别是像东京这样繁忙的大都市。

该公司还认为，在搜救任务中，以及在常规基础设施无法使用的緊急情况下，飞行交通工具可能会有所帮助。

该公司的目标是飞行车辆在空中最高飞行时速达到62英里，接近地面时最高时速93英里。

该公司表示，这款车将能够在离地三英尺的超低空行驶。

Word Study

prototype /'pro?t?ta?p/ n. 原型;雏形;最初形态

facility /f?'s?l?ti/ n. 设施;设备

What recreational facilities are available now？

infusion /?n'fju??n/ n. 注入;灌输

propeller /pr?'pel?r/ n. 螺旋桨（飞机或轮船的推进器）

infrastructure /'?nfr?str?kt??r/ n. 基础设施;基础建设