Call for Participation: Join Our Passenger Experience Trial and Help SkyDrive Evaluate our Passenger Flow through Check-in, Security, and Boarding
TOYOTA, Japan–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#FlyingCar–SkyDrive Inc. (“SkyDrive”), a leading eVTOL (*1) aircraft manufacturer based in Japan, is pleased to announce that it will conduct demo flights of its “SKYDRIVE” (SkyDrive Model SD-05) over the five days between February 24 (Tue) and February 28 (Sat), 2026. This initiative is being organized in collaboration with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd., and Kanematsu Corporation. The flights will take place at a temporary take-off and landing site located in the outdoor parking lot of Tokyo Big Sight’s East Wing. This event will mark SkyDrive’s first-ever demo flight in the city of Tokyo.
We are also inviting applications from members of the public to help us monitor our passenger experience. While the actual flights will not carry passengers, the chosen applicants will test the boarding process at a dedicated terminal facility equipped with facial recognition technology, helping us to craft a smooth and efficient flow for future eVTOL passengers.
The demo flight and the passenger terminal facility will be open to the public for viewing.
This initiative is part of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s “Project for Developing Business Models for eVTOL (Flying Car) Services in Tokyo.” (*2)
Demo Flight Details
The demo flight will operate from a dedicated take-off and landing site in the outdoor temporary parking lot by the East Wing of Tokyo Big Sight, an iconic Tokyo landmark. The planned flight path is a circular route that will either remain within the parking lot premises or extend from the landing site over the sea.
The demo flight will feature the “SKYDRIVE” (SkyDrive Model SD-05), the same model flown by SkyDrive at the Expo 2025 event in Osaka and also at the nearby OsakaKo Vertiport (*3). The aircraft will be operated without an on-board pilot, using a combination of automated control and remote pilot technology to ensure the highest standards of flight safety.
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5 days from Tue, Feb 24th 2026 to Sat, Feb 28th 2026 |
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1st flight: 9:30am |
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Free of charge |
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East Wing Outdoor Temporary Parking Lot @ Tokyo Big Sight 3-11-1 Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo |
- Event participants will be able to photograph the aircraft after each flight as it is returned to the hangar. On the final day of the demo flight program (Saturday, February 28th), members of the public will be able to approach and photograph the aircraft on the landing pad (please follow the instructions of the safety supervisors).
- The operation of these demo flights requires the submission of the appropriate applications and notifications to the related authorities and receipt of the relevant permissions.
- Please note that due to the weather and other factors, flight departure times may vary by around 10 minutes. In some cases, however, cancellation of the demo flights may be unavoidable.
- To ensure the safety of all visitors, we may limit entry to the viewing area in the event of overcrowding. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding.
Call for Participants: Passenger Experience Trials
SkyDrive is recruiting members of the public to help us monitor our passenger experience and verify the operational efficiency of our eVTOL passenger terminals.
The objective of this trial is for participants to experience core elements of the passenger journey using advanced technologies such as facial recognition. The feedback gathered will be instrumental in refining our services and operations as we lay the groundwork for the future introduction of safe, fast and convenient urban air mobility.
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Tue, Feb 24th 2026 & Wed, Feb 25th, 2026 |
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10 people per slot (total of 100 people) |
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Free (Preregistration required / First-come, first-served basis) |
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Adults (Minors must be accompanied by a guardian) |
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Facial recognition check-in, security screening, digital safety, briefing, boarding gate experience etc.
*As the flight is uncrewed, boarding and flying in the aircraft is not included in the experience. *After the second flight of the day, monitors will be able to approach and photograph the aircraft on the landing pad. After completing their boarding experience, monitors will also be able to enter the operations room and view the equipment SkyDrive uses for monitoring the surrounding air space and local weather. |
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Participants in the program will be asked to pre-register a photo for the facial recognition process, and to fill in a questionnaire on their experience. The organizing office will contact eligible candidates separately with further details. Please review the information on the application page before submitting your application. |
Public Viewing of the Passenger Terminal
The venue will be open to all members of the public from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM throughout the flight demonstration period. You do not need to join the monitor program to look inside. However, please be aware that viewing of the terminal interior will be restricted during the following time slots:
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08:30am – 10:30am / 01:00pm – 4:30pm |
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08:30am – 12:30pm / 01:00pm – 4:30pm |
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08:30am – 01:30pm |
The operations room for controlling our demo flights will be open for viewing as per the schedule below.
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01:00pm – 02:00pm |
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01:00pm – 02:00pm |
*When inside the operations room, please do not take any photographs or touch any equipment.
Background
SkyDrive is developing eVTOLs with a mission to “lead the once-in-a-century mobility revolution.” As we target a launch of commercial operations in 2028, our goal is to make urban air travel a regular feature of city life.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is actively supporting the development of the eVTOL industry in the belief that robust eVTOL infrastructure and reliable eVTOL services will revolutionize the movement of people and goods in Tokyo, enhancing residents’ quality of life. As part of its efforts to accelerate the development of this new generation of aviation technology, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, in FY2025, launched the “eVTOL Implementation Project”, which aims to roll out commercial flight operations in urban areas by 2030. The Bureau of Digital Services, a central government organization, also provided support to private enterprises from FY2022 to FY2024 to assist in the development of business models that could help achieve the early commercialization of eVTOL services in the airspace above the capital.
Since 2022, Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd. and Kanematsu Corporation have been validating business models and conducting technical verifications to assess the feasibility of various passenger eVTOL services. These studies, which are designed to pave the way for the use of air taxis in and around Tokyo, include potential routes between the rooftop of the Shin-Marunouchi Building in central Tokyo and destinations along Tokyo Bay.
In collaboration with UK-based Skyports, a global leader in vertiport infrastructure, SkyDrive aims to set up a vertiport in Tokyo equipped with a Vertiport Automation System (VAS). SkyDrive plans to present demonstration flights of its aircraft at this vertiport in collaboration with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Mitsubishi Estate, and Kanematsu. The objective of this flight is to validate ground and flight operations including take-off and landing management and simulation, passenger check-in and security screening, and monitoring of the airspace around the flight route to ensure safety. Identifying the practical challenges of an eVTOL business in Tokyo will help us deliver steady progress toward resolving these issues and launching viable urban air mobility services that serve Japan’s capital.
Roles
- Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd.,: Overall Coordination
- Kanematsu Corporation: Vertiport Installation and Operation
- SkyDrive Inc.: Operating the Demo Flights
Notes:
*1 SkyDrive is developing eVTOLs with the mission of “leading the once-in-a-century mobility revolution,” Our goal is to enhance public understanding of the eVTOL industry and drive towards a future in which short-hop eVTOL travel is just another regular way of getting around. At the Expo 2025 Osaka, we conducted a demonstration flight of the “SKYDRIVE” (SkyDrive Model SD-05).
*2 Tokyo Metropolitan Government “Project for Developing Business Models for eVTOL (Flying Car) Services in Tokyo.” https://www.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/information/press/2025/05/2025053014
*3 SkyDrive related press releases
https://en.skydrive2020.com/archives/16094
https://en.skydrive2020.com/archives/16771
About SkyDrive Inc.
SkyDrive is a Japanese eVTOL company aiming “to take the lead in the once-in-a-century mobility revolution”. The company began testing eVTOL prototypes in 2014 prior to official incorporation in 2018. Under its future vision for urban transportation, flying in eVTOLs will become a regular part of city life. In 2019, SkyDrive became the first company to fly a crewed eVTOL in Japan. In 2025, the company successfully showcased the eVTOL “SKYDRIVE”, the company’s first eVTOL product, with demonstration flights at the Osaka Expo witnessed by thousands of visitors over a one-month period. SkyDrive began production of “SKYDRIVE” in March 2024 at a plant owned by Suzuki Motor Corporation, SkyDrive’s official production partner. SkyDrive has been working with civil aviation authorities in Japan and the US to obtain certification for “SKYDRIVE”, with the aim of launching the aircraft into service in 2028. SkyDrive is headquartered in Toyota, Aichi Prefecture, and led by CEO Tomohiro Fukuzawa, an engineer and entrepreneur.
For more information, please visit: https://en.skydrive2020.com/
Contacts
Kaori Saito
Public Relations
SkyDrive Inc.
Email: [email protected]
