SkyDrive Completes Simulated Tourism Flight Demo in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Eyes 2028 Commercial Launch

SkyDrive Completes Simulated Tourism Flight Demo in Yamaguchi Prefecture

Japanese eVTOL developer SkyDrive successfully conducted a demonstration flight of its SKYDRIVE SD-05 aircraft at Yamaguchi Kirara Expo Memorial Park in Yamaguchi Prefecture on July 13, 2026. The flight simulated real-world tourism operations over the Seto Inland Sea and was carried out in unmanned, remotely piloted mode with no passengers or crew on board.

Flight Data at a Glance

First Flight:

• Distance: approx. 2 km
• Duration: 6 min 20 sec
• Top speed: 86 km/h
• Maximum altitude: 30 m

Second Flight:

• Distance: 1.9 km
• Duration: 5 min 42 sec
• Top speed: 54 km/h
• Maximum altitude: 25 m

High-Profile Attendees

The demonstration drew several prominent guests, including Yamaguchi Governor Tsugumasa Muraoka, Yamaguchi Prefectural Assembly Vice Speaker Toru Kawano, and Toshihiro Suzuki, President of Suzuki Motor Corporation — SkyDrive's production partner.

Simulating a Seamless Ground-to-Air Travel Experience

Beyond showcasing flight capability, the demonstration reproduced the full passenger journey — from arriving at the vertiport by car to boarding the eVTOL — with an emphasis on zero waiting time during the modal transfer. SkyDrive sees strong potential for eVTOL across tourism, urban congestion relief, disaster response, and emergency medical services.

CEO Tomohiro Fukuzawa described the Yamaguchi flight as a key milestone following earlier tests in Toyota City, Osaka, and Tokyo, reaffirming the company's goal to launch commercial operations in 2028, subject to safety assurance.

"I am proud and delighted to see today's demonstration in Yamaguchi completed successfully," Fukuzawa said. "This marks another important milestone following the 2025 Osaka Expo, Osaka Port, and Tokyo Big Sight."

He added: "In today's simulation, passengers arrived by self-driving car, demonstrating a seamless, zero-wait transition from road transport to eVTOL — illustrating the potential of next-generation urban air mobility (UAM) to boost tourism across regions. SkyDrive also looks forward to partnering with railway operators to deliver the same seamless connectivity demonstrated today, enabling both road and rail travellers to link smoothly to eVTOL vertiport services."

The entire demonstration was filmed, and SkyDrive has released a video capturing the simulated passenger journey from ground vehicle to eVTOL, recorded from multiple angles including onboard and ground-based cameras.

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