Overview
- SkyDrive flew its SD-05 in a series of public demonstrations at Tokyo Big Sight from February 24–28 as part of a Tokyo Metropolitan Government project with Mitsubishi Estate and Kanematsu Corporation.
- In collaboration with Skyports, the company set up terminal infrastructure where members of the public tried pre-boarding steps including facial recognition check-in and security screening.
- SkyDrive says its compact multicopter can use most of Tokyo’s roughly 70 rooftop heliports, supporting short-hop intra-city routes from smaller pads.
- Reported specifications include 12 electric rotors, battery power, seating for three, and rotor redundancy, with speeds up to 100 km/h and a typical range of about 5–10 minutes spanning roughly 15–40 km.
- SkyDrive targets a passenger service launch in 2028 subject to aviation approvals in Japan and abroad, with company projections suggesting fares after 2030 could be about twice those of conventional taxis.