The first tests of a manned flying car in the open air were held on Friday in the city of Oita on Kyushu island. A representative of the Masc company, which organized the flight, told TASS correspondent.
"Today's test passed without incident and ended successfully," the company said.
The aircraft, which resembled a quadcopter with a two-person cabin, rose to a height of 30 meters during the test and covered a distance of 431 meters in 3 minutes, moving on a circular trajectory over the sea. The flight speed was 36 km/h. The flying car is a manned vehicle, but the flight tests were conducted using an autopilot, which allowed the vehicle to fly on a pre-programmed trajectory.
Japan has recently been speeding up its efforts to introduce flying car technology, fearing increasing competition from companies in the United States, the European Union and China.
