SkyDrive Inc., a Japanese eVTOL manufacturer, signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with MASC, the Okayama Kurashiki Mizushima Aero & Space Industry Cluster Study Group, for the purchase of two SKYDRIVE (SD-05 model) aircraft. The agreement specifies delivery of both units in 2028, with plans to enter them into commercial service that year.
This LOI builds on a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in November 2023 for a pre-order. Since then, the parties have negotiated concrete terms, including aircraft sales prices and delivery schedules. MASC, based in Kurashiki City’s Mizushima District, focuses on aerospace opportunities to boost the local economy through advanced air mobility (AAM) technologies. The group collaborates with companies and authorities in Okayama to develop eVTOL-related services.
SkyDrive aims for full-scale commercialization of its three-seater SD-05 eVTOL by 2028, following demonstration flights at Expo 2025 Osaka. The SD-05 is designed for safe, efficient urban air mobility, including short-haul trips and aerial tourism. MASC plans to deploy the aircraft for tourism in the Setouchi Islands region, exploring suburban routes with local stakeholders.
Tomohiro Fukuzawa, SkyDrive founder and CEO, stated: “SkyDrive has a long-standing relationship with MASC and together we have been discussing how to harness eVTOL for the benefit of the Inland Sea region. We have followed up on the pre-order we received from MASC in November 2023 with another significant step toward commercialization with this new agreement, which includes specific aircraft purchase prices and an agreed delivery schedule for 2028.”
The partnership supports SkyDrive’s certification process with Japan’s Civil Aviation Bureau and its global expansion, mirroring deals like the framework agreement with Dubai’s AeroGulf Services for 20 SD-05 units (10 in 2028, 10 in 2029).