SkyDrive has reached a significant milestone in its eVTOL development program after successfully accelerating its SKYDRIVE SD-05 aircraft to 100 km/h, marking an important step toward certification and commercial operations planned for 2028.
The Japanese company confirmed that a series of high-speed flight tests validated the aircraft's stability, controllability, maneuverability, and the performance of key systems, including propulsion, flight controls, and onboard avionics.
According to SkyDrive, the data collected during the campaign closely matched the predictions generated through simulations and engineering analysis, reinforcing confidence in the aircraft's design and supporting progress toward type certification.
The achievement also demonstrates the viability of SkyDrive's compact multicopter architecture for urban air mobility. The aircraft's design, featuring 12 independent rotors managed by a centralized flight control system, is intended to enable efficient short-hop flights in urban environments while simplifying operations and reducing maintenance costs.
SkyDrive stated that further high-speed testing will continue as the company expands the aircraft's flight envelope and advances toward its goal of launching commercial eVTOL services in 2028.
SkyDrive Reaches 100 km/h Milestone in eVTOL Certification Journey
SkyDrive successfully reached 100 km/h with its SD-05 eVTOL, validating aircraft performance and advancing toward certification and commercial operations in 2028.
