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.

日本一家名為“天空駕駛”的初創(chuàng)公司已開始對其飛行汽車原型進行試飛，試飛時有一名駕駛員在車內(nèi)。

該公司希望能在今年夏天對這款車進行全方位的公開展示。

試飛是在該公司位于名古屋郊外的飛行研究中心的一個受保護的室內(nèi)設(shè)施中進行的。

該公司之前已進行過數(shù)次試飛，但都是通過遙控進行，無人駕駛。

據(jù)《朝日新聞》報道，該公司表示，這款車最早將于2023年開始限量出售，2026年開始量產(chǎn)。

這家公司由日本豐田公司的前工程師創(chuàng)立，公司希望這款汽車成為“世界上最小的飛行汽車”。

2017年，豐田向該公司注資約35萬美元，幫助研發(fā)飛行車輛。

該公司表示，不會透露更多有關(guān)試飛的進展，但表示一切順利，試飛可以繼續(xù)進行。

雖然按照概念描述，飛行汽車有光滑細長的機艙，四個角上還各有一個水平的無人機風(fēng)格的螺旋槳，但測試車輛看起來更像一輛卡丁車。

由于有翻車保護桿，原型機大約5英尺高（約合1.5米），不到12英尺長，12英尺寬。

該公司希望這款飛行車輛有助于緩解交通擁堵，特別是像東京這樣繁忙的大都市。

該公司還認為，在搜救任務(wù)中，以及在常規(guī)基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施無法使用的緊急情況下，飛行交通工具可能會有所幫助。

該公司的目標是飛行車輛在空中最高飛行時速達到62英里，接近地面時最高時速93英里。

該公司表示，這款車將能夠在離地三英尺的超低空行駛。

Word Study

prototype /'pro?t?ta?p/ n. 原型;雛形;最初形態(tài)

facility /f?'s?l?ti/ n. 設(shè)施;設(shè)備

What recreational facilities are available now？

infusion /?n'fju??n/ n. 注入;灌輸

propeller /pr?'pel?r/ n. 螺旋槳（飛機或輪船的推進器）

infrastructure /'?nfr?str?kt??r/ n. 基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施;基礎(chǔ)建設(shè)