Hanneke Weitering is a writer and editor with AIN covering advanced air mobility and new flight technologies. She became an aviation journalist and joined the AIN team in the summer of 2022 after reporting on spaceflight and astronomy for six years at Space.com. After earning a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, she moved to New York City to pursue a master’s degree in science, health, and environmental reporting at New York University&#039;s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. She is now based in Seattle near Boeing Field and spends her free time exploring nature in the Pacific Northwest.

Science & Technology Editor

Japanese electric aircraft developer SkyDrive plans to manufacture its eVTOL air taxi in a factory owned by car maker Suzuki Motor Corporation, the company said this week during the Paris Air Show. It also announced that avionics specialist Thales will provide the aircraft's flight controls.&nbsp;&nbsp;
SkyDrive has also updated the design of its eVTOL aircraft to include an additional seat. Now with three seats, the <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2023-04-13/skydrive-signs-first-private-use-preorder-sd-05-evtol-aircraft">fully electric aircraft</a> will carry up to two passengers plus one pilot on short flights of up to 15 kilometers (9 miles), according to SkyDrive.&nbsp;
While to date the company has called its two-seat model the SD-05, it will name the&nbsp;production series aircraft simply “SkyDrive.”&nbsp;The company aims to gain airworthiness certification for the three-seat SkyDrive model in time to fly it at the Osaka World Expo in 2025. It expects to achieve type certification and enter service in 2026.&nbsp;
Suzuki and SkyDrive will begin building the eVTOL aircraft in 2024 at a Suzuki production facility located in Japan’s Shizuoka Prefecture. SkyDrive says it is establishing a wholly-owned manufacturing subsidiary to oversee the vehicle’s production in tandem with Suzuki, which has served as a <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2022-03-22/car-maker-suzuki-backs-skydrives-plans-bring-flying-car-market">partner company</a> since 2022. The as-yet-unnamed manufacturing subsidiary will work together with Suzuki to secure human resources and make other preparations to establish the new eVTOL production line at the carmaking plant.&nbsp;
“At Suzuki, all manufacturing activities are based on a concept: smaller, fewer, lighter, shorter, and neater,” said SkyDrive CEO Tomohiro Fukuzawa. “In our pursuit to consistently manufacture safe and high-quality aircraft for the world, we are grateful for the valuable know-how we will learn from Suzuki, a global leader in automobile mass production.

Hanneke Weitering

SkyDrive's eVTOL aircraft will now have three seats to carry a pilot plus two passengers. (Image: SkyDrive)

SkyDrive to Build Three-Seat eVTOL Aircraft at Suzuki Factory

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