Japanese eVTOL startup applies for FAA certification with Beaufort County office

SkyDrive Inc., a Japanese electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft manufacturer with offices in South Carolina, is seeking approval to operate in the United States. The company has submitted an application for type certification for its three-seat eVTOL to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau. This application was accepted in April.

One of SkyDrive’s goals since its founding has been to take Japanese-made aerial mobility solutions to the world and build on the global reputation that the Japanese automotive industry has gained from its success. SkyDrive established a local subsidiary in 2023 to enter the US market and operate commercially. SkyDrive is currently working with local customers to develop practical use cases and tailor its offering to the needs of the American market.

In January 2023, SkyDrive announced plans to enter the U.S. market and locate its headquarters in Beaufort County. Part of the plan to commercialize the “flying car” is to develop an advanced air mobility ecosystem in South Carolina and work with local and state agencies to launch from two major airports. Revealed plans to work on developing practical use cases.

SkyDrive has begun the important step of seeking type certification for its eVTOL aircraft, relying on the expertise of Japan’s Civil Aviation Authority. With their assistance, the company filed an application with the FAA and began the certification process for the U.S. market. SkyDrive’s goal is to obtain FAA type certification, building on the anticipated Japanese Civil Aviation Authority type certification. This milestone will enable SkyDrive to bring innovative aircraft to American skies, showcasing the best of Japanese technology and design to a global audience.

Tomohiro Fukuzawa, CEO of SkyDrive, said: “Our development team has been working on aircraft development and type certification activities in parallel. We are grateful to the Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau for supporting our application. We are very grateful and look forward to successfully achieving FAA type certification.” “This cooperation will allow us to move forward with the certification process in both Japan and the United States.” We already have experience in the certification process for several eVTOLs, and the Japan Civil Aviation Authority is already in the process of certifying our aircraft.Our goal is to have our eVTOLs capable of commercial operation around the world. It’s about working together to create something.”