SkyDrive’s eVTOL aircraft has received a G-1 certification basis from the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB), marking an important milestone on its path to aircraft certification and commercial operations.
The JCAB’s decision follows an agreement with SkyDrive on the specific airworthiness and performance requirements for the certification of the SKYDRIVE, SkyDrive’s lightweight, three-seater eVTOL aircraft.
SkyDrive will release the first pictures of the SKYDRIVE, which is currently engaging in flight tests in preparation for its official public reveal at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, where the SKYDRIVE will perform demonstration flights.
The pathway to aircraft certification is complex, especially for recent aircraft like eVTOLs. The evolving regulations and the lack of standardized certification basis make this process even more challenging. This new agreement offers more clarity and direction for navigating these complexities.
Arnaud Coville, SkyDrive’s Chief Development Officer, commented, “We are pleased to announce that the JCAB has issued the G-1 certification basis that will apply to our first commercial eVTOL aircraft. We have reached this significant milestone through a series of respectful and collaborative discussions with the JCAB.
“The issuance of this certification basis represents the culmination of substantial efforts invested over several months. We are also thrilled with the recent progress achieved in our validation project with the FAA. Our prototype aircraft, which is currently undergoing an extensive series of flight tests, continues to accumulate valuable data as we make steady progress toward the upcoming demonstration flights at the Osaka Expo. As we pursue our certification roadmap and showcase the capabilities of our aircraft to the public, 2025 is set to become an important year for SkyDrive. We are delighted that the year is off to such a great start.”
In the wake of the new agreement, SkyDrive and the JCAB will continue discussions over the future certification plan, with the goal of reaching agreement over the required testing schedule and procedures. SkyDrive will begin ground and flight testing of the aircraft, once the certification plan is finalized.
SkyDrive is also pursuing concurrent certification processes with both the JCAB and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), streamlining efforts to standardize global operations for its eVTOL aircraft.
