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The Airframer Bulletin › Archive

News archive: SkyDrive

Every Bulletin story and press release covering SkyDrive, newest first.

Whole archive

31 items

21 July

ReleaseSkyDrive partners with India's Kineco to manufacture composite aerostructures for SkyDrive eVTOL

24 June

ReleaseSkyDrive reaches 100km/h milestone

20 April

ReleaseSkyDrive becomes Japan's first eVTOL developer to earn “Approved Design Organization” (ADO) certification

9 March

ReleaseSkyDrive reaches agreement with Japan’s Civil Aviation Authority on its General Certification Plan, a core element of the type certification process

23 January

ReleaseSkyDrive partners with SASMOS for EWIS design and manufacturing for SkyDrive SD-05 production aircraft

4 September 2025 From left: Arnaud Coville, Chief Development Officer of SkyDrive and Vincent Duqueine, President of DUC Hélices Propellers

SkyDrive collaborates with DUC Helices to develop SD-05 rotors

The Japanese eVTOL manufacturer will work with the French propeller specialist on flight-critical rotors for its SD-05, accelerating testing progress and supporting certification efforts.

4 July 2025

ReleaseSkyDrive secures ¥8.3 billion in Pre-Series D funding from Suzuki, JR East, JR Kyushu, and others

20 June 2025

ReleaseSkyDrive partners with Stirling Dynamics to design and manufacture Pilot Control Stick for SkyDrive SD-05 production aircraft

15 April 2025

ReleaseFirst successful flight of SkyDrive’s eVTOL secured by Thales's next generation Flight Control System

10 February 2025

ReleaseJCAB issues G-1 certification basis for SkyDrive eVTOL aircraft

24 September 2024

ReleaseSkyDrive and Braid Technologies collaborate on advanced aeronautic engineering project through AI

29 August 2024

ReleaseSkyDrive raises approximately 8 billion yen in total in additional Series C funding to accelerate its eVTOL development and manufacturing

20 June 2024 Nobuo Kishi, Chief Technology Officer, Tomohiro Fukuzawa, Chief Executive Officer, and Arnaud Coville, Chief Development Officer of SkyDrive

FAA accepts SkyDrive's eVTOL certification application

To prepare for its entry into the U.S. market and commercial operations, SkyDrive established a local subsidiary in 2023. The Japanese company says it is now actively collaborating with local customers.

14 March 2024 Staff in Iwata-city, Shizuoka, mark the occasion.

SkyDrive begins production of eVTOL aircraft with Suzuki

The establishment of Sky Works Inc., its manufacturing arm, and the partnership with Suzuki are significant steps towards producing up to 100 eVTOLs per year.

18 October 2023

ReleaseSkyDrive selected for innovation grant worth up to 12.4 billion yen by Japanese government

10 October 2023

ReleaseSkyDrive established a production subsidiary in Iwata City to produce up to 100 eVTOLs per year utilizing Suzuki's plant

6 September 2023

ReleaseSkyDrive signed an agreement with JAXA for joint research towards future noise reduction for eVTOL

3 August 2023 Tomohiro Fukuzawa, SkyDrive Inc. Chief Executive Officer and Dan Schwinn, Avidyne Corporation Chief Executive Officer.

SkyDrive will harness Avidyne avionics platform

Designed to be flown with one pilot and two passengers on board for intra-city flights, the Skydrive requires customised, certified avionics systems to enable its mission.

22 June 2023

ReleaseSkyDrive selected Thales to provide flight control system for its eVTOL, the “Skydrive”

21 June 2023 Hidetoshi Kumashiro, Managing Officer and Executive General Manager, Suzuki and Tomohiro Fukuzawa, CEO, SkyDrive.

Japanese eVTOL developer harnesses Suzuki production facility

SkyDrive will establish a wholly owned subsidiary which will use a production facility owned by the Suzuki Group in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, and aims to start building the Skydrive eVTOL by spring 2024.

19 June 2023

ReleaseChanges to specification of SkyDrive's eVTOL aircraft

13 April 2023

ReleaseSkyDrive accepts pre-orders from private individuals

26 September 2022

ReleaseSkyDrive unveils SD-05 flying car design

26 July 2022

ReleaseSkyDrive makes progress toward acquiring type certification with development of composite vehicle's structure by Toray Carbon Magic, and starting material conformity testing

18 July 2022

ReleaseSkyDrive Inc. selected Electric Power Systems, Inc to provide EPiC battery system for production aircraft

27 April 2022

ReleaseSkyDrive and MLIT Agree on Basis for Flying Car Type Certification

22 March 2022

ReleaseSkyDrive and Suzuki to collaborate on business and technology of flying cars

1 November 2021

ReleaseSkyDrive hits new milestone as MLIT accepts application for flying car type certificate

9 September 2020 Skydrive has successfully completed a manned flight of its eVTOL, model SD-03.

SkyDrive's SD-03 makes first public manned flight

A four minute hop with a computer-aided pilot onboard has taken the SkyDrive program past a major development milestone. The company says it has created a flying coupe with dreams and charisma.

7 April 2020

ReleaseJSSJ, Mizuno, Cart!vator and SkyDrive jointly develop "flying car" passenger seats

19 March 2019

ReleaseCARTIVATOR starts outdoor flight test!