SkyDrive Inc., the eVTOL aircraft pioneer based in Japan, has marked a critical milestone in its mission to redefine mobility by announcing a ¥8.3 billion Pre-Series D funding round. With this new capital injection led by MUFG Bank and bolstered by strategic investments from Suzuki Motor Corporation, East Japan Railway Company (JR East), Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu), and others, SkyDrive’s cumulative funding now surpasses ¥43 billion. This round, strategically positioned ahead of the company’s expected commercialization efforts, reflects growing investor confidence in SkyDrive’s potential to lead the integration of air and ground transport into a seamless, sustainable mobility network.
SkyDrive’s investor composition is as significant as the capital itself. New entrants like JR East and JR Kyushu highlight the company’s deepening strategic alignment with Japan’s transportation backbone. This marks a rare convergence of air and rail innovation. Both JR East and JR Kyushu have expressed their belief in eVTOL’s transformative potential—not merely as a futuristic novelty for tourists but as a practical solution for daily intercity travel, regional development, and connectivity in aging or depopulated communities. JR East’s leadership explicitly framed the investment as part of a historical continuum, linking the rail revolution of the 19th century with today’s aviation frontier. Meanwhile, JR Kyushu emphasized how air mobility fits directly into its Medium-Term Business Plan, aligning with goals of sustainable regional growth and broader community engagement.
For SkyDrive, the funding comes at a pivotal time. In February 2025, Japan’s Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) issued a G-1 certification basis for the SKYDRIVE SD-05, the company’s lightweight, three-seater eVTOL vehicle. This regulatory progress moves SkyDrive closer to achieving type certification, a cornerstone requirement for commercial deployment. The new funds will accelerate testing, bolster operational readiness, and allow for further expansion of the development team and test infrastructure. CEO Tomohiro Fukuzawa underlined this momentum, pointing to a successful demonstration flight at the Osaka-Kansai Expo site and the growth of international demand—SkyDrive has logged over 380 pre-orders from seven different countries. This suggests that SkyDrive is not just a national mobility solution, but one with viable global scalability.
Equally noteworthy is SkyDrive’s persistent emphasis on ecosystem-building. This round of funding isn’t just about capital—it’s about deepening alliances with industrial giants. Investors such as Suzuki, Toyoda Iron Works, NHK Spring, and Obayashi Corporation represent decades of engineering and manufacturing excellence. Meanwhile, technology financiers like Itochu Technology Ventures and SuMi TRUST Innovation Investment bring a forward-looking orientation, ensuring that SkyDrive has both the technical foundation and financial agility to navigate a fast-evolving regulatory and competitive landscape.
SkyDrive’s strategy to blend its aircraft into existing transit infrastructure is particularly compelling. In contrast to the Western eVTOL players focused on luxury point-to-point travel for the elite, SkyDrive’s model is rooted in public mobility integration. Collaborations with major railway companies signal a practical approach to deployment: building vertiports near rail stations, synchronizing air routes with overland schedules, and leveraging the reputation of Japan’s public transit systems to build public trust in air taxis. This pragmatism could be the key to unlocking public acceptance, a critical hurdle for the widespread adoption of eVTOL technology.
As Japan confronts population decline in rural regions and traffic congestion in megacities, SkyDrive’s roadmap reads less like a Silicon Valley moonshot and more like an infrastructural necessity. The involvement of legacy railway firms, engineering powerhouses, and financial giants reflects a broad consensus that urban air mobility is not a matter of if, but when. With over ¥43 billion in backing and a steadily maturing technology stack, SkyDrive has positioned itself not just as a contender in the eVTOL race—but as the standard-bearer for what next-generation transportation could look like in Japan and beyond.
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