SkyDrive agree on basis for type certification for its SD-05 flying car with Japan’s MLIT
SkyDrive has reached an agreement with the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) to base the type certification for the company’s flying car.
The certification basis refers to the JCAB Airworthiness Inspection Manual (AIM) Part II Revision 61. It relates to SkyDrive’s SD-05 two-seat flying car, for which MLIT accepted an application for type certification in October 2021, to launch an air taxi service in 2025.
Revision 61 is the newest version of AIM Part II defines airworthiness conditions for fixed-wing aircraft that carry up to 19 passengers and have a takeoff weight of 8,618 kg or under.. It allows flexibility in the shape of the airframe and aircraft system. It also establishes standards for testing strength, structure, and performance to validate the safety of the aircraft and its components.
SkyDrive Chief Technology Officer Nobuo Kishi, said: “JCAB accepted our application for type certification in October 2021, since which we have held a series of discussions with the authority regarding ways to develop and design safe aircraft and the means for testing them.
“We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the government of Japan and MLIT, as well as to the many organisations and companies that have supported our project, and we are determined to move ahead with the launch of a flying car business and to ultimately make air mobility a reality for society.”
MLIT issues a type certificate to certify that the design, structure, strength and performance of a newly developed aircraft conforms with necessary safety and environmental requirements.
The initiative aims to provide a shared vision of airspace design, operation, infrastructure, and other benefits to enable AAM operation in Japan. It involves partners including Kanematsu Corporation, the major Japanese trading company with businesses in the aerospace industry, and Japan Airlines (JAL).
Then in March, SkyDrive and Suzuki Motor Corporation announced that they would collaborate on flying cars, including technology R&D, and planning of manufacturing and mass-production systems, with both companies also considering market development in India.