'World's smallest flying car' takes to the skies - and you could own one by 2023

From Harry Potter to The Jetsons, flying cars are a staple feature of the many fantasy blockbusters.

But the futuristic vehicles are slowly but surely becoming a reality, and now the ‘world’s smallest flying car’ has taken to the skies for the primary time.

The tiny flying vehicle has been developed by Japanese startup SkyDrive Inc, who are conducting test flights at an inside facility just outside Nagoya.

Tomohiro Fukuzawa, CEO of SkyDrive, said: “We are clear that our product will improve the lives of consumers right across the planet by providing efficiency of movement and creating happiness in flying – be it linking people to jobs, their family or a dream holiday.”

The flying car is simply 3.6 meters long and 1.7 meters wide on the bottom or 3.1 meters wide during flight.

While on the bottom, the car can travel at a good 60km/hour, while within the sky it can fly at speeds of 100km/hour, consistent with SkyDrive.

It can fit two people, including the pilot, and is in a position to succeed in altitudes of fifty meters during flights.

Mr. Fukuzawa added: “Flying cars are going to be the travel mode of the longer term and today we took an enormous leap towards making that happen.”

While the flying car has barely completed its first manned flight, SkyDrive has ambitious timelines for the project.

It predicts that the flying cars will be got on sale to the general public in 2023, while mass-production will begin by 2026.

However, SkyDrive will face stiff competition from several other tech giants, who are all racing to be the primary to launch a billboard flying car.

Other bands performing on flying vehicles including Boeing, Uber, and Porsche.