JAPAN: JR East and JR Kyushu have become strategic equity partners in lightweight electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft developer SkyDrive, which also has partnerships with Osaka Metro and Kintetsu Group Holdings.
SkyDrive CEO Tomohiro Fukuzawa said ‘we are confident that integrating SkyDrive’s next-generation mobility solutions into Japan’s railway networks will enable us to deliver seamless mobility services that link ground and air transport, providing a fast and convenient customer experience.’
SkyDrive began eVTOL production last year at a plant owned by Suzuki Motor Corp, and the first public flight was made this April at Expo 2025 in Osaka.
The latest ¥8·3bn of Pre-Series D funding from three new and eight returning investors which was announced on July 4 will be used to strengthen the development team, enhance testing infrastructure and accelerate certification.
SkyDrive will also work with its four railway partners to establish ‘vertiports’ and air routes, and to boost public support for widespread eVTOL use.
JR East President & CEO Yoichi Kise said ‘railways have continually evolved alongside societal progress, adapting to changing lifestyles and technologies. Our recent partnership with SkyDrive represents an important milestone in our journey to create seamless mobility services that connect ground and air transportation.’
Yoji Furumiya, Representative Director, President & Corporate Officer of Kyushu Railway Co, said ‘eVTOL will not only provide tourists with exciting, memorable air travel experiences, it will also make significant contributions to community development by providing a new daily transportation option’. The initiative ‘aligns with key strategies outlined in the JR Kyushu Group Medium-Term Business Plan, which outlines our deep involvement in realising sustainable mobility services, city building through enhanced collaboration among businesses, and planting seeds for the future.’
