Tohoku Air Service, owned by Tohoku Electric Power, signs a letter of intent for one SKYDRIVE SD-05 with delivery targeted for 2028.
SkyDrive has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Tohoku Air Service (TAS) for the purchase of one SKYDRIVE SD-05 eVTOL. The Toyota-based manufacturer announced the deal on May 13, 2026. SkyDrive aims to deliver the aircraft in 2028.
The agreement marks SkyDrive’s first aircraft sale commitment from a Japan-based helicopter operator. TAS operates as part of the Tohoku Electric Power Company group.
Tohoku Air Service Adds SkyDrive eVTOL to Its Fleet
TAS plans to use the eVTOL for sightseeing flights, regional transportation, medical service support, and disaster response. The operator cites quiet operation, lower purchase costs, and lower maintenance costs as core advantages.
The company will examine functionality, safety, infrastructure, and operational feasibility for eVTOL services. The goal is a multi-use operational model that flexes to diverse market needs.
TAS launched in 1991 and inherited 38 years of power line inspection experience from its parent utility. The company has logged more than 30 years of helicopter operations across the Tohoku region and Niigata Prefecture. Earlier coverage from Dronelife reported that SkyDrive recently earned Japan’s Approved Design Organization certification, a key step toward its 2028 commercial launch.
“Signing of this Letter of Intent with SkyDrive as a step towards the purchase of one ‘SKYDRIVE’ (SkyDrive Model SD-05) lets us advance our concrete investigations into the real world operation of this next-generation technology,” said Tohoku Air Service President Shigeyuki Ouchi. “We will conduct a detailed confirmation of the functionality, safety, and infrastructure requirements, to assess the operational feasibility of eVTOL services from multiple perspectives.”
From Expo Demonstrations to 2028 Commercial Service
SkyDrive flew demonstration flights of the SD-05 across roughly six weeks at the 2025 Osaka Expo and a second vertiport in Osaka. The company added Tokyo demonstration flights in February 2026.
The SD-05 carries three people, including one pilot and two passengers. Production runs at a Suzuki Motor Corporation facility in Japan, and the company is pursuing certification in Japan and the United States.
The Tohoku LOI follows SkyDrive’s recently launched Osakako Vertiport consortium with Osaka Metro, Marubeni, and Soracle. Together the deals broaden SkyDrive’s commercial footprint beyond Kansai into the Tohoku and Niigata regions.
“This agreement with Tohoku Air Service, a company with more than three decades of experience in providing air transport services to customers in Tohoku, is a significant step for SkyDrive,” said SkyDrive CEO Tomohiro Fukuzawa. “The LOI will deliver a major contribution toward establishing and maintaining a sustainable transport ecosystem based on multifunctional eVTOL operation in Tohoku, with these operations covering various fields including sightseeing flights, regional transportation, and post-disaster relief services.”
More information is available at SkyDrive.
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Ian McNabb is a journalist focusing on drone technology and lifestyle content at Dronelife. He is based between Boston and NH and, when not writing, enjoys hiking and Boston area sports.
