TOYOTA, Japan, October 10, 2023 – SkyDrive Inc. (“SkyDrive”), a leading Japanese eVTOL aircraft (*1) manufacturer based in Japan, is pleased to announce the continual progress between the Suzuki Motor Corporation (“Suzuki”) and SkyDrive strategic partnership since the collaboration agreement on the sharing of business and technology in March 2022. This was successfully followed by the basic agreement on manufacturing in June 2023, referenced below (*2).
■ The SkyDrive Manufacturing Plant
SkyDrive established a Production Subsidiary on September 1, 2023, for the production of its “SKYDRIVE (also known as the SD-05)” (*3). The plant, owned by Suzuki, will be used to produce up to 100 potential eVTOLs per year and is slated to begin in the Spring of 2024.
- Company Name: Sky Works Inc.
- Location: Iwata-city, Shizuoka
- Representative: Nobuo Kishi, President
- Capital: 1 million yen
- Establishment Date: September 1, 2023
■Business Development in India
SkyDrive and Suzuki have been collaborating in areas of business and technology R&D, planning of manufacturing and mass production systems, and development of overseas markets with an initial focus on India as well.
Concerning its market development in India, SkyDrive is developing suitability use cases in India in areas where tourists visit historical buildings along rivers or by the sea. These routes are traveled by Indian religious pilgrims crossing mountains and rivers.
To address serious social mobility and health issues, such as air pollution caused by excessive CO2 and daily urban congestion emissions, SkyDrive continues to discuss with local stakeholders how to contribute to the mobility revolution. This ties in with the decade-long achievements made by Suzuki in India and works to deliver on the potential of our UAM eVTOL future.
■Exhibition at JAPAN MOBILITY SHOW 2023
Come and see SkyDrive exhibiting its 1/5 scaled SKYDRIVE (SD-05) at the JAPAN MOBILITY SHOW 2023 (*4), at Suzuki’s booth. Alongside, SkyDrive will also exhibit the full-size SD-03 Mock-Up in the Tokyo Future Tour exhibition as one of the leading symbols representing the future mobility we will achieve.
- Duration: Saturday, October 28 ~ Sunday, November 5
- Location: Tokyo Big Site
- URL: https://www.japan-mobility-show.com/en/
About SkyDrive Inc.
SkyDrive was formally established in July 2018 after testing flying car concepts and prototypes from 2014 with the mission of “taking the lead in the once-in-a-century mobility revolution.” Its vision is to create a future where everyone has access to eVTOLs as their daily transportation in Japan and across the world. The company succeeded in the first crewed flight test in Japan in 2019 and its eVTOL “SKYDRIVE” is in the process of acquiring its Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) certification. SkyDrive has been selected as a company to participate in the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) project at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan. SkyDrive is headquartered in Toyota, Aichi Prefecture. Tomohiro Fukuzawa is the CEO of the company.
For more information, please visit: https://en.skydrive2020.com/
Editor’s Note:
(*1) “eVTOL” is an abbreviation for electric vertical takeoff and landing. eVTOL aircraft are characterized by electrification, a fully autonomous autopilot, and vertical takeoff and landing. It is also called Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) or Urban Air Mobility (UAM).
(*2) Related press release about collaboration agreement on business and technology in March 2022
https://en.skydrive2020.com/archives/7323
Related press release about basic agreement on manufacturing in June 2023
https://en.skydrive2020.com/archives/9453
(*3) “SKYDRIVE” is a product name of SkyDrive Model SD-05. Model SD-05 is in the process of acquiring its Japan Civil Aviation Bureau certification.
(*4) Press Day: October 25 and 26, 2023, Public Day: October 28 to November 5, 2023
Contact:
Yoshimi Yamamoto
Public Relations
SkyDrive Inc.
Email: info@skydrive.co.jp