SkyDrive signs MoU on eVTOL Operations in Japan with Japan Biz Aviation, Operator of HondaJet and Bell Helicopter Charters

TOYOTA, Japan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SkyDrive Inc. (“SkyDrive”), a leading compact eVTOL (*1) aircraft manufacturer based in Japan, announces the conclusion of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Japan Biz Aviation Co., Ltd. (JBZ), a major Japanese charter aircraft operator currently providing charter services for aircraft including the HondaJet and Bell helicopters.

Background to our partnership, future plans

SkyDrive currently holds a cumulative total of 427 aircraft orders from partners in Japan and overseas (the order book includes pre-orders for 354 aircraft and basic purchase agreements for 73 aircraft). Outside Japan, the majority of these orders come from companies that already operate helicopters or charter aircraft and are therefore already in possession of the air operator's certificate (AOC) required for aircraft operations.

The situation is different in Japan, where SkyDrive has received large numbers of orders from rail companies and other parties that do not currently hold an AOC (*2). As such, to expand the range of its operations and grow the eVTOL market in Japan, SkyDrive intends to contract companies with significant operational and maintenance experience to support the commercial operations of our aircraft, ensuring a safe, smooth, and reliable service launch. This first MoU with JBZ, a company with deep expertise in the field of business aircraft operations, is an agreement to move forward with concrete discussions on how these arrangements will be organized and implemented.

Details of this new MoU

Under the MoU, both parties agree to discuss:

• The development of aircraft ownership and operations schemes, determining the respective roles played by SkyDrive, JBZ, and aircraft buyers.
• The development of a roadmap proposing a specific time frame for entry into service and other future plans.

Next Steps

SkyDrive will work together with JBZ and other future operations partners to ensure that parties purchasing SkyDrive aircraft can do so with complete confidence. This will allow strategic partners in all industries to own and generate revenue from SkyDrive aircraft, speeding the adoption of eVTOL technology across Japan.

Comments from the parties to the MoU

SkyDrive Inc. CEO Tomohiro Fukuzawa

“I am delighted that we have been able to sign this MoU with JBZ, a specialist operator of business aircraft, including rotorcraft. The strategy of helping players from various industries purchase and fly eVTOL is a core part of our efforts to ensure widespread uptake of eVTOL technology and promote the use of our aircraft across Japan. Together with JBZ, we will build safe, robust and reliable flight operations frameworks that will deliver the new experience of advanced air mobility to the public as soon as possible.”

Shin Koizumi, Representative Director, Japan Biz Aviation Co., Ltd.

“We at JBZ are extremely honored to have concluded this MoU with SkyDrive over the future operations of eVTOL aircraft in the Japanese market. Our business, through the operation of aircraft including Honda Jets and Bell 429 helicopters, currently provides safety-first, high-value added mobility services that take into account the needs of the high-net worth individuals and other customers who entrust us with their aircraft.

We are working to promote business jet and helicopter charters as a new mobility option for travel around Japan. This MoU is an important additional step forward that further broadens our business scope, allowing us to apply the operational know-how developed through our ongoing businesses to the new fields of eVTOL and advanced air mobility.

The combination of SkyDrive’s technology and our operational knowledge will move us forward towards the goal of introducing advanced air mobility to passengers in Japan.”

About Japan Biz Aviation (J-Biz, JBZ)

Based at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, Japan Biz Aviation (JBZ, pronounced "J-Biz") provides comprehensive aircraft services including commercial charter operations for the HondaJet, other business jets, and helicopters such as the Bell 429. The company handles aircraft operation and aircraft asset management under contract from aircraft owners. With a priority on safety, JBZ serves its customers with permission from the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (aircraft operation and usage permission, granted under the Tokyo Civil Aviation Bureau permission No. 29). The company is focused on flexible operational and management practices that meet the needs of aircraft owners to deliver high value added air mobility services.

JBZ has also, since the launch of its business, pioneered joint aircraft ownership as a new ownership and usage option for general aviation in Japan, allowing a wider range of individual and corporate partners to generate value from aircraft assets. JBZ is a member of Japan General Aviation Service (JGAS) group which maintains aircraft, sells components and provides pilot training services.

URL: https://www.j-bizavi.com/

About SkyDrive Inc.

SkyDrive is a Japanese compact 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://skydrive.co.jp/en/

Editor’s Note:

(*1) “eVTOL” is an abbreviation for electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing. As the name suggests, eVTOL aircraft can take off and land without a runway. eVTOLs are powered by electricity and incorporate advanced, automatic, flight control technology.

(*2) Press releases on pre-orders already received by SkyDrive.
East Japan Railway Company: https://skydrive.co.jp/archives/65609
Chodai Co., Ltd.: https://skydrive.co.jp/archives/63599
Taiho Co., Ltd.: https://skydrive.co.jp/archives/24228
MASC: https://skydrive.co.jp/archives/69265
Tohoku Air Service: https://skydrive.co.jp/archives/70577