Country for PR: Japan
Contributor: Kyodo News JBN
Thursday, December 19 2019 - 18:00
AsiaNet
SkyDrive Launches Test Flights of First-ever Cargo Drone That Will Boost Productivity in Hard-to-Reach Places
TOKYO, Dec. 19, 2019 /Kyodo JBN-AsiaNet/ --

SkyDrive Inc., a leading flying-car developer, has successfully launched test 
flights of a cargo drone which could revolutionize the way heavy goods are 
transported and speed up the movement of equipment in remote locations. The 
first operational testing took place earlier this month (December) in Toyota 
City, Japan. It was carried out to test the technology by moving heavy 
equipment in remote locations. Additional testing will be carried out later in 
the month.

This new technology has been tested with a load capacity of 30kg--utilizing 
SkyDrive's world-leading aircraft development technology to achieve high safety 
standards. There is the potential to develop this further and achieve greater 
capacity loads of up to 50kg and 80kg, according to demand. The cargo drone 
also has the potential to change the way products are moved from manufacturers 
to warehouses and onto depots. 

SkyDrive Chief Executive Tomohiro Fukuzawa said: 
"We are delighted to successfully test this world-leading technology. Our cargo 
drone has proven to deliver by safely lifting loads of up to 20kg in a 
mountainous area--saving time and money. "We look forward to expanding on this 
success by testing heavier loads for customers in the future. Our quest is to 
create cutting-edge technology that will improve the productivity of businesses 
across the world--and today we celebrate a key milestone in making that happen."

Note:
SkyDrive is developing the cargo drone for use in industries that carry heavy 
materials on complex terrain such as slopes, mountain valleys, overpasses, 
power transmission towers, civil engineering/construction sites, agricultural 
fields, etc. Usage of cargo drones will help avoid dangerous works, save 
personnel and shorten the term of works. So SkyDrive can contribute to 
responding to labor shortages and improving Japan's labor productivity sagging 
due to its declining population.

Cargo drone technical details:
Can be used by companies for transporting materials to hard-to-reach places 
such as slopes, mountain valleys, overpasses and sites of steel tower 
maintenance.
Basic specifications: 
-Total length 1.3m x total width 1.7m x total height 1.0m 
-Recommended payload: 30kg
-Flight speed: 40km/h
-Flight time: 15min.
-Winch mechanism to move up and down without landing

Further information can be found here: 
https://en-skydrive.amebaownd.com/pages/3450667/drone

Images: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/release/201912164791?p=images
Video: https://youtu.be/OdNIJJ1KcWA

About SkyDrive Inc.
-Established: July 2018
-President: Tomohiro Fukuzawa
-URL: https://www.skydrive.co.jp/
-Address: 
Tokyo office: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Toyota test field: Asuke-chiku, Toyota-shi, Aichi Pref.
Toyota R&D Center: SENTAN, Koromo-machi 2-1-1, Toyota-shi, Aichi Pref.
Flight Test Port: Mifune-cho, Toyota-shi, Aichi Pref.

Business: SkyDrive is a start-up to develop flying cars and contribute to a 
future mobility society with aircraft/drone/automobile engineers. Demonstration 
flights of the flying car are scheduled for summer in 2020, and its commercial 
release for 2023. Pre-sale orders for the cargo drone will be taken from spring 
in 2020.

-Inquiry about the usage of Cargo Drone
Tatsuya Kudo
Sales 
SkyDrive Inc.
Email: drone[at]skydrive.co.jp


Source: SkyDrive Inc.