SkyDrive Type Certificate Application Accepted by Japanese Transport Ministry

SkyDrive Inc. an advanced air mobility solutions company that’s creating flying cars and cargo drones, announced on November 1st that the company’s application for a type certificate for its flying car was accepted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism (MLIT). The approval of this application on October 29, 2021 means that the company has now initiated a type certification project for the aircraft that it aims to commercialize in 2025. SkyDrive is the first flying car developer to reach this stage in Japan.

Related: SkyDrive Inks Partnership with JAXA for Aerodynamic Characteristics Research

Under Japan’s Civil Aeronautics Law, MLIT issues a type certificate to certify that the design, structure, strength, and performance of a newly developed aircraft meet the necessary safety and environmental requirements for each type of aircraft. Certification is only granted after the aircraft had gone through a battery of studies and tests, including strength tests and flight tests. This is the first time that MLIT has accepted an application for a type certificate for a flying car.

Tomohiro Fukuzawa, Chief Executive Officer of SkyDrive Inc commented on the TC acceptance: “SkyDrive and MLIT have been discussing how to safely develop and test this type of aircraft since the Public-Private Council to promote urban air mobility was launched in Japan in 2018 and SkyDrive received permission for the first outdoor test flight of its flying car. We are very pleased that our application for type certification has been accepted and we will continue to work in close partnership with the government and MLIT to complete our development of a wholly safe and reliable flying car. We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all of those who have supported us in various ways up to this point and we will continue striving to launch a viable flying car business with the assistance of various organizations and companies, including MLIT, in pursuit of our common goal of realizing an air mobility society.”

Why it’s important: The Japanese MLIT’s acceptance of this type certificate application is indication that Japan continues to invest in advanced aerial mobility projects, and also supports the development of personal aerial vehicle (PAV)’s for use in the future. Continue to monitor the progress of companies such as SkyDrive as they further refine their PAV technology that will ultimately (and likely) end up on larger prototypes that can carry multiple people.