Tohoku Air Service Moves Toward eVTOL Adoption, Boosting Urban Air Mobility in Tohoku
SkyDrive Inc., a leading Japanese electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft manufacturer, has announced the signing of a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Tohoku Air Service (TAS) for the purchase of one SkyDrive eVTOL aircraft, the SKYDRIVE (Model SD-05). Under the agreement, SkyDrive aims to deliver the aircraft in 2028, marking an important milestone in the development of next-generation air mobility services in Japan.
The agreement represents a significant step forward for both companies as they work toward introducing practical urban air mobility (UAM) solutions in Japan. Tohoku Air Service, a helicopter operator owned by Tohoku Electric Power Company, intends to evaluate and adopt eVTOL aircraft for a range of applications, including sightseeing services, regional passenger transport, cargo logistics, medical support missions, and disaster response operations.
The LOI is particularly notable as it represents SkyDrive’s first agreement for the purchase of an aircraft by a Japan-based helicopter operator, highlighting growing domestic confidence in eVTOL technology and its commercial potential.
Advancing Urban Air Mobility in Japan
SkyDrive has positioned itself at the forefront of Japan’s emerging eVTOL industry with its mission to “lead a once-in-a-century mobility revolution.” The company’s long-term vision is to make air travel a routine part of urban life by providing safe, quiet, and efficient air transportation services that can reduce congestion and improve connectivity in both urban and regional areas.
Over the past several years, SkyDrive has made significant progress in demonstrating its technology. In 2025, the company conducted a series of public demonstration flights of the SKYDRIVE (SD-05) over a six-week period at Expo 2025 Osaka and at a dedicated vertiport in Osaka City. These demonstrations showcased the aircraft’s flight stability, operational safety, and potential for integration into urban infrastructure.
Following these achievements, SkyDrive continued testing efforts in Tokyo in February 2026, further validating its system performance in real-world conditions. The company is now focused on achieving its next major milestone: the commencement of commercial operations in 2028.
The LOI with Tohoku Air Service is a key part of this roadmap, helping SkyDrive move closer to large-scale deployment and real-world operational validation in collaboration with experienced aviation partners.
Tohoku Air Service and Its Role in Regional Aviation
Tohoku Air Service was established in 1991 as part of the Tohoku Electric Power Company group. The company has more than three decades of experience in helicopter operations, particularly in supporting infrastructure maintenance and regional connectivity in Japan’s Tohoku region.
Initially built upon over 38 years of power line inspection expertise from its parent organization, TAS has grown into a trusted aviation service provider specializing in aerial inspections, cargo transport to remote mountainous areas, and infrastructure support operations. These services are particularly important in regions where road and rail access is limited or inefficient.
Safety has remained a core principle of TAS operations throughout its history. The company plays a crucial role in supporting the stability and development of regional infrastructure, particularly in maintaining electricity transmission systems and ensuring reliable access to remote areas.
By entering into this LOI with SkyDrive, TAS is taking a strategic step toward exploring how eVTOL aircraft can complement and expand its existing aviation capabilities. The company aims to evaluate how electric aircraft can improve operational efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and enable new forms of aerial mobility services across regional Japan.
Expanding Use Cases for eVTOL Aircraft
One of the key motivations behind TAS’s decision to collaborate with SkyDrive is the broad range of potential applications offered by eVTOL technology. Unlike traditional helicopters, eVTOL aircraft are expected to provide quieter operations, lower maintenance requirements, and improved cost efficiency due to their electric propulsion systems and simplified mechanical design.
These characteristics make them particularly suitable for a wide variety of missions, including:
- Urban and regional passenger transport
- Tourism and sightseeing flights
- Medical transport and emergency response
- Cargo delivery to remote or disaster-affected areas
- Infrastructure inspection and monitoring
For regions such as Tohoku and neighboring Niigata Prefecture, which include both urban centers and geographically challenging rural areas, eVTOL aircraft could significantly enhance connectivity and resilience. In particular, their potential role in disaster response is seen as highly valuable in Japan, a country frequently affected by earthquakes, typhoons, and other natural hazards.
Tohoku Air Service has emphasized its intention to evaluate not only the technical performance of the SKYDRIVE aircraft but also the infrastructure requirements necessary to support its operations. This includes vertiport development, charging systems, air traffic integration, and regulatory compliance frameworks.
Building a Sustainable Regional Mobility Ecosystem
Through this agreement, TAS and SkyDrive plan to work together to develop a multi-use operational model for eVTOL services. This model is expected to be flexible enough to address a wide range of regional transportation needs while supporting long-term economic development in northern Japan.
TAS will use its extensive operational experience in helicopter aviation to help inform the development and refinement of SkyDrive’s aircraft and operational systems. This collaboration is expected to contribute valuable real-world insights into safety procedures, maintenance requirements, and mission planning for eVTOL operations.
By integrating traditional aviation expertise with next-generation electric aircraft technology, the two companies aim to create a sustainable mobility ecosystem that can serve both urban and rural communities.
Executive Perspectives on the Agreement
Tohoku Air Service Leadership
Shigeyuki Ouchi, President of Tohoku Air Service, described the LOI as a crucial step toward practical evaluation of eVTOL operations in Japan.
He emphasized that the agreement allows the company to begin detailed assessments of the aircraft’s functionality, safety systems, and infrastructure needs. According to Ouchi, the collaboration with SkyDrive—Japan’s only dedicated eVTOL developer—provides an opportunity to combine decades of helicopter operational experience with cutting-edge aircraft development.
He also highlighted the potential for the SKYDRIVE aircraft to serve multiple roles, including tourism, regional transport, medical support, and disaster relief. These applications, he noted, could significantly improve safety, convenience, and quality of life for residents across the Tohoku region.
SkyDrive Leadership
SkyDrive CEO Tomohiro Fukuzawa expressed strong optimism about the partnership, describing the LOI as an important milestone in the company’s journey toward commercialization.
He noted that SkyDrive has already conducted extensive demonstration flights in Osaka and Tokyo, which have validated the aircraft’s technical capabilities and operational potential. The company is now transitioning from testing phases to preparing for real-world service introduction in 2028.
Fukuzawa emphasized that collaboration with an experienced operator like Tohoku Air Service will be instrumental in shaping a sustainable operational framework for eVTOL services in regional Japan. He also highlighted the importance of building multifunctional use cases, including tourism, transport, and emergency response, to ensure long-term viability and community impact.
A Step Toward Commercial eVTOL Operations in Japan
The signing of this LOI between SkyDrive and Tohoku Air Service represents more than just a procurement agreement—it signals growing momentum toward the commercialization of electric air mobility in Japan.
As global interest in eVTOL technology continues to accelerate, Japan is positioning itself as a key player in the development of urban air mobility solutions. Partnerships such as this one are expected to play a critical role in bridging the gap between prototype development and full-scale commercial operations.
With a planned delivery in 2028 and ongoing collaboration between the two companies, the agreement lays the groundwork for establishing a safe, efficient, and scalable eVTOL ecosystem in the Tohoku region.
Ultimately, this initiative reflects a broader shift in aviation toward sustainable, electric, and highly flexible transportation systems that could reshape how people and goods move across both cities and rural landscapes in the coming decades.
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