SkyDrive Inc. has reached a formal agreement with the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau on the General Certification Plan for its SD-05 electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.
The agreement establishes a comprehensive framework for demonstrating the aircraft’s compliance with legal safety requirements and outlines the cooperative steps necessary between the manufacturer and the regulatory body. This milestone serves as a core element of the type certification process, signaling that the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) is aligned with SkyDrive’s strategy for proving the overall safety of the vehicle. By securing this agreement, the company significantly reduces future certification risks as it transitions into the final stages of the development phase.
The certification process is structured into six primary steps, with this announcement marking significant progress toward the completion of steps three and four. Step three involves reaching an agreement on the Means of Compliance, which defines the specific design standards used to meet safety requirements, such as establishing rotor durability through rigorous testing. Step four focuses on the Certification Plan itself, detailing the execution of these tests, including ground-based rig assessments using motor and rotor assemblies.
While the General Certification Plan is now settled, the program requires additional agreements on specific sub-plans covering hardware and performance. SkyDrive has already submitted individual certification plans for the aircraft’s structure, systems, electric motors, and noise levels to the JCAB for review. Once these remaining plans are approved, the program will advance to formal compliance testing in the near future.
Arnaud Coville, Chief Technology Officer of SkyDrive Inc., said, “Reaching agreement with JCAB on the General Certification Plan represents an extremely significant milestone for SkyDrive. The agreement, which shortens the projected timeline for compliance activities and reduces future risk, shows that we are on the right track for the certification of our Aircraft with the JCAB and FAA. Only a very limited number of players worldwide have reached this stage in the type certification process.”
Based in Toyota, Aichi, Japan, SkyDrive is working in coordination with Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to leverage this progress toward Federal Aviation Administration certification in the United States.
Coville added, “We will first advance type certification with the JCAB and then, working together with Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), look to make further progress along pathway to FAA certification. Looking ahead to the commercial launch of our eVTOL in 2028, we will continue to move steadily forward with our aircraft development.”
