TOYOTA CITY, JAPAN, April 18, 2023 – SkyDrive Inc. (“SkyDrive”), a leading electric vertical takeoff & landing (eVTOL1) aircraft manufacturer based in Japan, today announced that TAIHO Co.,Ltd. (“Taiho”), a total engineering company, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) and agreed on a pre-order of SkyDrive SD-05 for commercial use. Taiho is a member of newly established Public-Private Council2 for Advanced Air Mobility in Kagawa prefecture in Shikoku region.
SkyDrive is currently developing the SD-05 eVTOL aircraft to create a future where everyone has access to air mobility as their daily transportation. The company successfully completed in the first flight test in Japan in 2019, and its SD-05 is in the process of acquiring its Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) certification3.
Taiho sells and maintains control or measurement equipment and performs electrical, communications, and civil engineering works for customers in various industries, including electric power, chemicals, oil refining, nuclear power generation, and paper manufacturing. In recent years, the company has been actively investing in new fields such as robotics, including the in-house development of automated driving and monitoring robots for the livestock industry.
The Shikoku region, where Taiho is headquartered, faces transportation and regional revitalization challenges. As a leading infrastructure provider in this area, Taiho believes that the electric and compact SD-05 can be a solution to these issues and has signed an MOU.
SkyDrive and Taiho are committed to bringing advanced air mobility to Shikoku. The two will work closely with all stakeholders, including flight operators, vertiports and power supply infrastructure providers to make this vision a reality.
About SkyDrive SD-05
SD-05 is a two-seat, electric-powered compact aircraft with vertical takeoff and landing capabilities. Operated by a driver-pilot, its flight stability is secured with the assistance of a computer-controlled flight system. SkyDrive is in the process of acquiring a type certificate for SD-05 from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), as the first of its kind in Japan. SD-05 is designed to travel up to approx. 10 km and the maximum cruise speed is 100 km/h4.
Inquiries About Pre-order for SD-05:
Tatsuya Kotani
Air Mobility Business Development Team
SkyDrive Inc.
Email: am_sales@skydrive.co.jp
Editor’s Note:
１．eVTOL is short for electric vertical takeoff and landing. eVTOLs are characterized by electrification, autopilot, and vertical take-off and landing. As a new advancement in the field of mobility, the development of eVTOLs is being promoted in many countries around the world. In Japan, the Public-Private Council for Air Mobility Revolution was established in 2018 with meetings held since then.
２．In March 2023, the Public-Private Council for Advanced Air Mobility was established in Kagawa Prefecture, aiming to address the region’s transportation challenges, including traffic congestion in urban areas and limited accessibility to remote islands and mountainous regions. The council serves as a platform for various stakeholders to share information and exchange ideas on the deployment of advanced air mobilities in Kagawa Prefecture, as well as identify and tackle the issues that must be resolved to ensure the successful implementation of this mode of transportation.
３．Related press release: https://en.skydrive2020.com/archives/7336
４．Information as of April 17, 2023
SkyDrive Inc.：https://en.skydrive2020.com/
TAIHO Co.,Ltd.：http://www.taihos.co.jp/langu/en/index.html
Media Contacts:
SkyDrive Inc.
Risa Oishi
Public Relations
risa.oishi@skydrive.co.jp
info@skydrive.co.jp