SkyDrive has successfully launched its first manned prototype with plans to make the flying car a reality as soon as 2023.

The Japanese startup, which is backed by Toyota and recently received $37 million in funding, conducted a public test flight of its new SD-03 on August 25, and things went swimmingly. In a video that was released Friday, the sleek speedster can be seen flying effortlessly around Toyota Test Field in the city of Toyota with a pilot at the helm for added safety.

The single-seat aircraft, which has been many years in the making, was lifted to six feet above the ground and circled the test area for roughly four minutes. The watershed joyride proved that the aircraft could work as intended in the field and edged the aviation firm one step closer to its goal of making the SD-03 a mainstream vehicle.

Read More at Robb Report

Read the rest at Robb Report