SkyDrive Signs Goyang eVTOL Agreement Targeting 2028 Operations

Japanese electric aircraft developer SkyDrive has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with South Korea's Goyang Special City and aviation infrastructure company Verty to prepare for commercial electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) services by 2028. Announced on 4 November 2026, the three-party agreement establishes cooperation on flight trials, vertiport infrastructure, air traffic management and regional aviation development across the Seoul Capital Area. The partnership forms part of South Korea's national Korean Urban Air Mobility (K-UAM) initiative, which aims to introduce commercial advanced air mobility services.

 

The agreement brings together SkyDrive's aircraft manufacturing capabilities, Verty's expertise in integrated flight operations, and Goyang's municipal infrastructure development program. The partners will work on regulatory preparation, physical and digital infrastructure, demonstration flights and potential passenger transport services. Verty is developing systems covering aircraft operations, fleet management, air traffic coordination and vertiport administration, while Goyang will provide local institutional and infrastructure support. The collaboration builds on an earlier agreement between SkyDrive and Verty to assess commercial eVTOL deployment in South Korea, including tourism and regional transport applications.

 

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Goyang, located near Gimpo International Airport and home to more than one million residents, has been designated a metropolitan demonstration location under South Korea's K-UAM Grand Challenge. The city is developing vertiport testing infrastructure around the KINTEX exhibition center and expanding aviation-related training through cooperation with Korea Aerospace University. Additional initiatives include an industry-academia complex in the Baekseok district and transport integration projects involving healthcare and tourism facilities. These developments aim to build the infrastructure and technical capabilities needed for commercial urban air mobility operations.

 

SkyDrive is developing the compact SKYDRIVE SD-05 electric aircraft, designed for vertical take-off and landing without conventional airport runways. The company conducted uncrewed demonstration flights at Expo 2025 Osaka and has reached an agreement with the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau on its certification project plan and type certification basis. Assembly operations support manufacturing, developed in cooperation with Suzuki Motor Corporation, while commercialization projects are progressing with partners across 10 countries. SkyDrive and Verty are also participating in DRONE-UAM EXPO 2026 at KINTEX from 4 to 6 November, where they will display a 20% scale model of the SD-05 aircraft.

 

Tomohiro Fukuzawa, Founder and CEO of SkyDrive, said the partnership would combine aircraft manufacturing, operational expertise and municipal infrastructure to prepare for commercial services by 2028. Dongwoo Kim, CEO of Verty, highlighted the company's experience in government-supported demonstration programs covering flight operations, traffic management and vertiport handling. The agreement is a preparatory step toward commercial deployment, not confirmation of an operational launch. Further progress will depend on successful flight trials, aircraft certification, infrastructure readiness and the regulatory approvals required to introduce passenger services.

 

Source: SkyDrive