* In the diagrams, the blue line suggests the likely width a vertiport would require to safely accommodate each respective aircraft.
— Advanced Attitude Control Showcases the Advantages of a Compact Multicopter Design in Delivering Urban Air Mobility —
— Demo flights performed under Tokyo Metropolitan Government program to explore future of urban eVTOL possibilities —
TOYOTA, Japan, March 03, 2026–(BUSINESS WIRE)–SkyDrive Inc. (“SkyDrive”), a leading eVTOL (*1) aircraft manufacturer based in Japan, is pleased to announce the successful conclusion of a series of demo flights of its “SKYDRIVE” (SkyDrive Model SD-05), conducted over the five days between February 24 (Tue) and February 28 (Sat), 2026. The flights, which were organized in collaboration with Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd., and Kanematsu Corporation and took place at Tokyo Big Sight, a major event venue on Tokyo Bay, represent the first-ever public flights of SkyDrive’s aircraft in Tokyo. These flights were conducted as part of the “Project for Developing Business Models for eVTOL (Flying Car) Services in Tokyo”, a project of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government announced in June 2025.
The goal of this flight program was to evaluate the integrated ground and flight operations needed to support the future commercialization of urban eVTOL transport. With this in mind, SkyDrive and its supporting partners assessed the full operational sequence from pre-flight preparation through to departure, cruising, landing and returning the aircraft to the hangar. With a combined focus on the aircraft and the terminal facilities that future passengers will require, the project broke new ground as the first such comprehensive feasibility study of future eVTOL operations to take place in Japan.
Terminal infrastructure was built to allow members of the public to test and provide feedback on the various pre-boarding procedures including facial recognition-enabled passenger check-in and passenger security screening. SkyDrive is grateful for the cooperation of the many members of the public who helped us collect the data we need to ensure the smooth running of future passenger flights. With their cooperation, the reality of commercially viable, convenient urban eVTOL travel can begin to take shape.
Video: https://youtu.be/lI0tTF3c9Ak
Making the Case for Urban eVTOL
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has developed a roadmap for the introduction of eVTOL infrastructure and services and is actively supporting the development of the industry, recognizing the potential for eVTOL aircraft to improve resident quality of life by combatting traffic congestion and radically transforming the movement of people and goods. Smoother transportation and logistics enhances the appeal of the city, making it a more attractive destination for tourists and a more comfortable home for residents.
Since 2022, Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd. and Kanematsu Corporation have been validating various business models and conducting technical verifications to assess the feasibility of various passenger eVTOL services. These studies, which are designed to pave the way for the use of air taxis in and around Tokyo, include potential routes between the rooftop of the Shin-Marunouchi Building in central Tokyo and destinations along Tokyo Bay.
Flying these routes with a conventional helicopter reveals the potential for a significant reduction in travel time to below one-third that of road travel, while also revealing the importance of ensuring time savings in the pre- and post-travel procedures, including the passenger boarding process and access to and from vertiports. Additionally, these preliminary studies confirmed the unique appeal of the scenery on these routes, the strong likely demand for scenic flights, and the core importance of central business districts and train stations as candidate vertiport locations.
Following these investigations and feasibility studies, SkyDrive joined the project in 2025, its fourth year. As described above, SkyDrive, together with the project partners, was able to use this series of demo flights to assess both aircraft and terminal operations. In collaboration with UK-based Skyports, a global leader in vertiport infrastructure, we sought out volunteer members of the public who could experience part of the eVTOL passenger journey, including facial recognition-enabled check-in and security screening, as part of our efforts to confirm the effectiveness of passenger terminal operations. This feedback from this activity allowed SkyDrive to gain a deeper understanding of the operational and convenience requirements that will be necessary to ensure successful commercialization.
Demo Flight Details
The demo flight series took place on February 24-28, 2026, operating from a dedicated take-off and landing site in the outdoor temporary parking lot by the East Wing of Tokyo Big Sight, an iconic Tokyo landmark. The demo flight featured the SKYDRIVE (SkyDrive Model SD-05), the same model flown by SkyDrive at the Expo 2025 event in Osaka and also at the nearby OsakaKo Vertiport (*2). As the flight route is situated close to the busy flight paths approaching Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, the demo flights also served as a further opportunity to confirm the low acoustic footprint of the SKYDRIVE.
The aircraft’s flight path started from within the limited space available inside the Tokyo Big Sight grounds before extending out over the sea. The SKYDRIVE’s ability to take off and land in relatively confined spaces is a huge advantage in ensuring safe operations from rooftops and other compact vertiports. Safe operation from small vertiports increases the number of potentially usable vertiport sites, allowing future services to approach door-to-door connectivity even in city neighbourhoods where local characteristics make the construction of large vertiports difficult or impossible.
Watching the SKYDRIVE take off from a lot allowed visitors to catch a glimpse of a near future in which eVTOL travel is just an everyday part of the fabric of city life. Whether it be a rooftop, shopping mall carpark, or the public square in front of a local train station, a compact multicopter will have a wider variety of takeoff and landing options, leading to more flexible, scalable operations.
Video: https://youtu.be/Pc2qB6Zv8RI
Shot on February 24, 2026 at around 09:30.
Flight data: Flight time of approximately 3.5 minutes, flight distance of 150 meters, maximum altitude of 13 meters, aircraft uncrewed, flown using a combination of automated control and remote pilot technology to ensure the highest standards of flight safety.
SKYDRIVE (SD-05 series) Multicopter
SkyDrive’s multicopter, the SKYDRIVE (SkyDrive Model SD-05), which uses precise control technology to achieve superior maneuverability, is distinguished by its compact size. As the aircraft is smaller than fixed wing eVTOLs, it can operate safely from smaller vertiports.
In Tokyo, there are around 70 rooftop heliports accessible to helicopters in the event of an emergency. The majority of those vertiports have dimensions of around 15m x 15m to 20m x 20m.
The precise control technology employed to maneuver the SKYDRIVE (SkyDrive Model SD-05), and the aircraft’s compact size, allow the aircraft to access a large majority of these existing rooftop heliports, making the aircraft a suitable eVTOL option for future intra-city short-hop journeys.
As an eVTOL, powered only by electricity, the aircraft emits no exhaust gases.
The SKYDRIVE’s compact dimensions allow for the use of smaller vertiports than those required by fixed-wing eVTOL designs.
*In the diagrams, the blue line suggests the likely width a vertiport would require to safely accommodate each respective aircraft.
eVTOL Passenger Terminal Feasibility Studies
In collaboration with UK-based Skyports, a global leader in vertiport infrastructure, SkyDrive set up a new vertiport equipped with a Vertiport Automation System (VAS*3). Members of the public were able to experience facial recognition-based passenger check-in and security screening procedures, before watching a flight safety video and passing through the boarding gate. Feedback collected from the test participants will be instrumental in improving future operations.
Passenger terminal details
Mobile Passenger Terminal
Total floor area
Around 54m2 (Internal floor area of 17.06m2×2 + external deck area of 20m2)
Designer
Designed by Mitsubishi Jisho Design Inc.
Features
Gallery: This area displays an exhibition of information on eVTOLs.
Deck: An area to relax and view aircraft in flight helps to build passenger excitement.
Safety inspection area: Automatic facial recognition-enabled check-in and seamless passenger screening combine to make a simple and smooth pre-flight process.
Lounge: A comfortable space for passengers to wait for their flight while checking on the latest flight information and other updates.
Operations room: A place for the operations team to support the flight schedule by monitoring arrivals and departures at the vertiport, parking spots on the apron, availability of charging facilities, and information on the surrounding airspace (including the local weather and other aircraft movements). Passenger flows are also controlled through the same system ensuring the safe and efficient vertiport operations.
Comment from SkyDrive founder and CEO Tomohiro Fukuzawa.
Following our successful demonstration flights at the 2025 Osaka Expo and the Osakako Vertiport, I am delighted to see our aircraft reaching the skies of Tokyo for the first time. We are truly grateful for the support we have received from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and our various business partners in staging this series of flights.
Multicopters are agile aircraft, ideal for operations in major urban areas with limited space to maneuver. With a continued emphasis on safety, we look forward to providing further demonstrations of our aircraft’s capabilities. As we work towards the introduction of commercial services, I hope that Tokyo residents will share our enthusiasm and excitement for the future of this new form of transport. With the government’s plans for regional development now categorizing eVTOL as essential social infrastructure, we are proud, as Japan’s leading eVTOL manufacturer, to lead the eVTOL revolution both in Japan and overseas.
About SkyDrive Inc.
SkyDrive is a Japanese eVTOL company aiming “to take the lead in the once-in-a-century mobility revolution”. The company began testing eVTOL prototypes in 2014 prior to official incorporation in 2018. Under its future vision for urban transportation, flying in eVTOLs will become a regular part of city life. In 2019, SkyDrive became the first company to fly a crewed eVTOL in Japan. In 2025, the company successfully showcased the eVTOL “SKYDRIVE”, the company’s first eVTOL product, with demonstration flights at the Osaka Expo witnessed by thousands of visitors over a one-month period. SkyDrive began production of “SKYDRIVE” in March 2024 at a plant owned by Suzuki Motor Corporation, SkyDrive’s official production partner. SkyDrive has been working with civil aviation authorities in Japan and the US to obtain certification for “SKYDRIVE”, with the aim of launching the aircraft into service in 2028. SkyDrive is headquartered in Toyota, Aichi Prefecture, and led by CEO Tomohiro Fukuzawa, an engineer and entrepreneur.
For more information, please visit: https://skydrive.co.jp/en/
Editor’s Note:
(*1) “eVTOL” is an abbreviation for electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing. As the name suggests, eVTOL aircraft can take off and land without a runway. eVTOLs are powered by electricity and incorporate advanced, automatic, flight control technology.
(*2) Related press release: https://skydrive.co.jp/en/archives/16094 / https://skydrive.co.jp/en/archives/16771
(*3) Vertiport Automation System (VAS): A VAS is a system for automating and optimizing eVTOL departures and arrivals at a vertiport. In addition to supporting flight operations by monitoring space availability and the surrounding airspace, the system also digitally monitors the availability of various vertiport resources, while also handling check-in and customer flow.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260303487640/en/
Contacts
Kaori Saito
Public Relations
SkyDrive Inc.
Email: info@skydrive.co.jp
AloJapan.com