The pilot project, called Sky Drive, is currently just a car-sized aluminum frame with eight propellers. It has so far managed to get up to about as high as eye level for several seconds, but Cartivator hopes to improve the model with the money from Toyota. One intermediary goal is to have the first manned flight in 2019.
The project’s leader told the Associated Press that he hopes eventually Sky Drive will be able to transition seamlessly from driving to flying, à la Back to the Future. And hopefully in time for the Olympics.