SkyDrive: Japan’s Flying Car Pioneer Taking eVTOL Dreams to the Skies by 2025
In a country renowned for bullet trains, precision robotics, and futuristic cityscapes, it’s no surprise that one of the world’s most promising flying car startups is taking off from Tokyo. Meet SkyDrive, the Japanese eVTOL innovator developing compact, efficient, and culturally aligned air mobility vehicles—set to launch at scale by the 2025 Osaka World Expo.
Backed by major players in automotive, aviation, and infrastructure, SkyDrive’s vision is not just to fly—but to integrate into society as seamlessly as a car, train, or elevator. Quiet, compact, and proudly Japanese, SkyDrive is bringing mobility off the roads and into the skies.
The Founder: Tomohiro Fukuzawa — Engineer with a Skyward Mission
Tomohiro Fukuzawa, SkyDrive’s CEO and co-founder, began his career at Toyota, where he developed future transportation concepts. In 2012, he joined a volunteer group known as Cartivator, a team of engineers and aviation hobbyists with a shared dream: to build a flying car. By 2018, Cartivator evolved into SkyDrive Inc., and Fukuzawa took the helm with a bold goal—to make flying vehicles part of Japan’s daily transportation by the mid-2020s.
Under his leadership, the company has secured both domestic and global backing, moving from small-scale prototypes to full-scale flight testing and international partnerships.
The Tech: SD-05 – Japan’s Compact eVTOL for Air Taxi Services
SkyDrive’s flagship aircraft is the SD-05, a sleek, single-pilot eVTOL designed for short-range flights in dense urban areas. Its design emphasizes compactness, low noise, and operability from rooftops or small pads—perfect for cities like Tokyo, Osaka, or Kyoto.
SD-05 Specs at a Glance:
Seating: 1 pilot + 1 passenger (autonomous versions in future)
Cruise Speed: ~100 km/h (62 mph)
Range: ~15 km (9–12 miles)
Propulsion: 12 motor-driven rotors
Noise Level: Under 65 dBA in hover
Takeoff/Landing: Vertical (VTOL) from pads as small as a few parking spaces
While its range is shorter than intercity aircraft, SD-05 is highly optimized for point-to-point hops in mega-cities, such as rides between train hubs, airports, hospitals, or skyscrapers.
Mission: Compact Flight for Crowded Cities
SkyDrive’s mission is aligned with Japan’s unique urban challenges:
Space-Efficient: Japan’s cities are tight—SD-05 is designed to fit in
Zero Emissions: 100% electric with a focus on carbon neutrality
Low Noise: Built for harmony with city life and minimal disruption
Affordable Air Taxi Services: Starting with piloted flight, with a roadmap to autonomy
Infrastructure-Ready: Plans for Skyports atop high-rises and integration into smart cities
SkyDrive isn’t trying to replace cars or trains—it wants to complement them with vertical travel options in places where land is limited but airspace is underused.
Key Partnerships & Upcoming Launch
2025 Osaka World Expo: SkyDrive will operate commercial air taxi services for VIPs and guests as a showcase of Japan’s next-gen mobility
️ Suzuki Motor Corporation: Strategic partnership for manufacturing and global expansion
🇺🇸 SkyDrive America (2023): New U.S. base in South Carolina to enter the U.S. market with FAA cooperation
️ Infrastructure Partners: Collaborating with Kansai Airports, Kintetsu Group, and smart city planners to build vertiport hubs across Japan
Ongoing Flight Tests: Conducted in Toyota City and other regions, approved by Japan’s Civil Aviation Bureau
Why Ceekers Should Watch SkyDrive
For Ceekers—digital creators, futurists, and urban thinkers—SkyDrive delivers a unique blend of design, utility, and innovation:
Aesthetic and function: The SD-05 feels like a sci-fi vehicle grounded in real, Japanese practicality
Expo Debut = Immersive Potential: Expect live demos, real passenger flights, and immersive storytelling at the Osaka World Expo
Smart City Compatibility: Great for short-trip, digital experience-based travel—ideal for festivals, Web3 events, and tourist hubs
East meets West: With its South Carolina expansion, SkyDrive will soon test how Japanese-style air mobility fits into American cities
From garage dream to national rollout: A rare startup story of grassroots innovation scaling into global aviation
Looking Ahead
With an eye on the 2025 Expo, FAA collaboration underway, and a unique niche in ultra-compact, culturally adaptive air taxis, SkyDrive is on track to be Japan’s first flying car to hit the skies commercially.
Whether you’re visiting Osaka or building the next smart city, SkyDrive offers a glimpse of what happens when tradition, tech, and flight align.
