On 10 February 2025, SkyDrive Inc., an eVTOL (*1) aircraft manufacturer based in Japan, announced that the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) had issued a G-1 certification basis (*2) for its eVTOL aircraft. The JCAB’s decision, which represents an important milestone along SkyDrive’s path to aircraft certification and commercial operations, follows agreement between the JCAB and SkyDrive over the specific airworthiness and performance criteria that will be required for the type certification of the ‘SKYDRIVE’, SkyDrive’s lightweight, three-seater eVTOL aircraft.
This latest agreement between the JCAB and SkyDrive builds on an earlier agreement, reached in March 2022, to use the JCAB Airworthiness Inspection Manual (“AIM”) Part II (Revision 61) as the basis for the type certification of SkyDrive’s eVTOLs (*3). AIM Part II defines airworthiness criteria for fixed-wing aircraft that carry up to 19 passengers and have a takeoff weight of 8,618 kg (19,000 lb) or less. Revision 61, the latest version of AIM Part II, gives aircraft manufacturers a greater degree of flexibility in selecting the methods they will use to demonstrate the safety of their aircraft, allowing them to choose methods that best match the aircraft’s specific characteristics.
The road to aircraft certification is broad and complex, particularly for new aircraft such as eVTOLs, where existing regulations are still under development and no standardised certification basis is available to anchor the process. This additional agreement now provides further clarity and direction.
Following the new agreement, SkyDrive and the JCAB remain in dialogue over the future certification plan, with the aim of reaching agreement over the required testing schedule and procedures. Once the certification plan is finalised, SkyDrive will begin ground and flight testing of the aircraft. Alongside its work with the JCAB, SkyDrive is working concurrently with the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) to validate a certification process for SkyDrive’s eVTOL in the United States.
This strategic approach enables the company to align its certification efforts in both nations, paving a smoother path towards standardised global operations.
Responding to the new agreement with the JCAB, Arnaud Coville, SkyDrive’s Chief Development Officer, said: “We are pleased to announce that the JCAB has issued the G-1 certification basis that will apply to our first commercial eVTOL aircraft. We have reached this significant milestone through a series of respectful and collaborative discussions with the JCAB. The issuance of this certification basis represents the culmination of substantial efforts invested over several months. We are also thrilled with the recent progress achieved in our validation project with the FAA. Our prototype aircraft, which is currently undergoing an extensive series of flight tests, continues to accumulate valuable data as we make steady progress towards the upcoming demonstration flights at the Osaka Expo. As we pursue our certification roadmap and showcase the capabilities of our aircraft to the public, 2025 is set to become an important year for SkyDrive. We are delighted that the year is off to such a great start.”
Notes:
(*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) A certification basis describes the steps that must be followed and the requirements that must be met for a new aircraft to receive certification and enter commercial operations.
(*3) JCAB AIM Part II is equivalent to the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) Part 23 regulations.
