TOYOTA, Japan, January 12, 2024 – SkyDrive Inc. (“SkyDrive”), a leading Japanese eVTOL aircraft (*1) manufacturer based in Japan and Cyient, a global Intelligent Engineering and Technology Solutions company headquartered in Hyderabad, India, announced today that we have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a joint technical collaboration on our eVTOL “SKYDRIVE” (*2). This is our first and unique partnership with an Indian engineering company, which agreed to work across product development, engineering, manufacturing, and digital services.
Caption: Signing ceremony at Cyient headquarters in Hyderabad between Founder Chairman and Board Member of Cyient, BVR Reddy, Executive Director & CEO of Cyient, Karthikeyan Natarajan, and SkyDrive CEO, Tomohiro Fukuzawa
Tomohiro Fukuzawa, CEO of SkyDrive
We are pleased to sign the partnership with Cyient to jointly collaborate on advanced technology development for our eVTOL. Cyient is one of India’s leading engineering companies with a wide range of business operations around the world, including in the aerospace industry.
Having Cyient as a partner to create the first eVTOL technical publication manual will take us closer to the future of the mobility revolution.
BVR Reddy, Founder Chairman and Board Member of Cyient
Engineered in India has an immense potential to contribute to the future of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) not just in India but globally. This partnership will empower SkyDrive to tap into the engineering ecosystem of talent and technology available in India through Cyient and serve the global UAM market, including India. This is also our pledge to our communities and the environment to be pioneers in shaping a better world for everyone.
Karthikeyan Natarajan, Executive Director & CEO of Cyient
By 2030, Urban Air Mobility (UAM) will be a $23 billion opportunity globally. And I am thrilled to announce that, we are India’s first partner for Japan’s leading UAM -eVTOL manufacturer, SkyDrive for the advanced technology development of their eVTOL. This partnership is a testament to our commitment towards intelligent engineering for an autonomous future. With the possibility for expansion, this partnership underscores Cyient’s dedication to leading the way in urban mobility innovations in India.
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 eVTOL 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 plans to begin production of “SKYDRIVE” in the Spring of 2024 at the plant owned by official production partner Suzuki Motor Company. SkyDrive is headquartered in Toyota, Aichi Prefecture. Tomohiro Fukuzawa is the CEO of the company.
For more information, please visit: https://en.skydrive2020.com/
About Cyient
Cyient (Estd: 1991, NSE: CYIENT) partners with over 300 customers, including 40% of the top 100 global innovators, to deliver intelligent engineering and technology solutions for creating a digital, autonomous, and sustainable future. As a company, Cyient is committed to designing a culturally inclusive, socially responsible, and environmentally sustainable Tomorrow Together with our stakeholders.
For more information, please visit www.cyient.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) “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.
Contact:
Yoshimi Yamamoto
Public Relations
SkyDrive Inc.
Email: info@skydrive.co.jp
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【SkyDrive】SkyDrive and Cyient Sign MoU for Technical Collaboration for eVTOL Development