19 April 2023 || 4 min read

SkyDrive Inc., a leading eVTOL aircraft manufacturer based in Japan, has announced that Taiho Co., Ltd., a total engineering company, has signed a memorandum of understanding and agreed to a pre-order of SkyDrive SD-05 aircraft for commercial use. Taiho is a member of the newly established Public-Private Council for Advanced Air Mobility in Kagawa prefecture in the Shikoku region.

SkyDrive is developing the SD-05 eVTOL with the vision of making air mobility a form of daily transportation. The company successfully completed its first demonstration vehicle flight test in Japan in 2019, and the SD-05 is in the process of acquiring its Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) certification.

Taiho sells and maintains control and measurement equipment, and performs electrical, communications, and civil engineering works for customers in various industries including electrical energy, 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 all-electric and compact SD-05 can be a solution to these issues.

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 in the region.

SkyDrive Unveils SD-05 Flying Car Design | SkyDrive Inc.

SkyDrive is one of the leading eVTOL aircraft manufacturers in Japan, and its SD-05 is expected to play a significant role in the future of air mobility in certain regions. With the support of companies like Taiho, SkyDrive can continue to develop its eVTOL technology and bring it to market.

Why it’s important: The partnership between SkyDrive and Taiho marks another step forward for the development of advanced air mobility in Japan. The Shikoku region, which faces transportation and regional revitalization challenges, could benefit greatly from eVTOL aircraft such as the SD-05. The small size and all-electric nature of the aircraft could make it an excellent solution for the region’s transportation needs.

This announcement also demonstrates the global growing interest and investment in eVTOL technology. Taiho’s agreement to pre-order SkyDrive’s SD-05 eVTOL highlights the potential of these aircraft in all generalized industries that work in transportation and logistics. Overall, the development in this region could also serve as a model for other regions facing similar challenges, further propelling the adoption of eVTOL aircraft.

Source // SkyDrive

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Posted by Rajvir Singh

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