THE flying car to be trialled by Entrepreneur Development Minister Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof on Thursday is a product of a joint venture between two Chinese firms and a local partner, Berita Harian reports.

It said the “Super Dron”, produced by EastCap Bhd and China’s EHang Intelligent Equipment (Guangzhou) Co Ltd and Strong Rich Holdings Ltd, is nothing like the flying car reported to be developed by Malaysian entrepreneurs and their Japanese counterparts.

The JV will handle the marketing, operation and maintenance of the Super Dron in Malaysia, said the Bahasa Malaysia daily.

Zakwanhafiz Ahmad Ansari is EastCap CEO and managing director. He is involved in the plantation industry.

The report said in August, EastCap signed a memorandum of understanding with Rumah Koperasi Indonesia for the latter to purchase 1,000 units of the Super Dron for use primarily in the agricultural sector as a plantation-mapping tool and crop sprayer.

EastCap has said in Malaysia, the Super Dron is not meant for use in public transport, but for border monitoring and emergency aid deliveries.

The company aims to build a “super drone assembly facility” in the country with a production capacity of 10,000 units annually.

It was previously reported that Aerodyne Group was developing a flying car known as “Vector”, a drone-based, point-to-point air mobility solution powered by four electric motors and a lithium-ion battery.

A scale model was displayed at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition in March.

Redzuan today invited MPs to trial the flying car on Thursday.

He said the test drive is not open for media coverage or public viewing.

“The company involved sent out private invitations.” – November 19, 2019.