At the World Exposition in Osaka, a demonstration of a “flying car” was abruptly suspended for safety checks after an incident. A part of a motor propeller fell off the vehicle during a mid-flight demonstration, though no injuries were reported. Organizers made the decision to pause all flying car demonstrations until a full safety review is completed. This incident raised concerns about the reliability of the technology, especially during public showcases.
The flying car involved in the incident was a Hexa single-seater, developed by U.S. company Lift Aircraft Inc. The vehicle was being operated by Marubeni Corp., a Japanese trading house. On Saturday afternoon, the aircraft was flying above the expo’s designated takeoff and landing area. Despite the part falling off, the aircraft managed to land safely. Investigations into the cause of the malfunction are currently underway.
As a result of this incident, the event’s organizing body announced the suspension of all flying vehicle demonstrations for safety checks. The suspension applies to the vehicles that were scheduled for flights during the six-month event. Other operators have yet to confirm whether their flying cars will be showcased. As of now, no new flight schedules have been confirmed until safety concerns are fully addressed.
Initially, four flying car operators had planned to offer commercial taxi services to the expo venue. The idea was to transport visitors to Yumeshima, the artificial island in Osaka Bay hosting the event. However, all operators abandoned their plans to carry passengers in electric aircraft due to safety challenges. This setback adds to concerns about the readiness of flying car technology for large-scale commercial use.
The Osaka Expo officially opened to the public on April 13 and will continue until October 13. The event has become a platform for showcasing groundbreaking innovations, such as flying vehicles. However, the incident has raised doubts about the safety and feasibility of such technologies at major public events.
