Indian aviation sector has major potential for electric aircraft, says SkyDrive CEO
New Delhi, August 13
The Indian aviation sector has major potential for electric aircraft, said SkyDrive CEO Tomohiro Fukuzawa.
Speaking to ANI, Fukuzawa said SkyDrive's technology could be used for urban passenger and logistics services, particularly on routes such as airports to downtown areas and hospitals to homes, where road congestion is a major challenge. As per him, India's aviation sector has huge scope for the technology.
"I think the market is huge because once they land at the airport, many roads are very congested or traffic is jammed, so in that case they can fly from airport to downtown or hospital to home or so many kinds of very, very important routes; this can happen," he said.
SkyDrive is a Japanese startup that develops advanced air mobility solutions. It uses drone-based technology and battery-powered propulsion to enable autonomous, emission-free flights with noise levels less than one-third that of helicopters, he said.
"Advanced air mobility is technology by drone, and so it's easy to do autonomous flight and also using battery, so emission-free, and also the noise is less than one third of a helicopter," he said, adding the technology could be used for passenger and logistics services in urban areas.
Earlier in July, the Japanese startup partnered with India's Kineco Limited -- an aerospace composite manufacturer to develop and manufacture high-performance composite aerostructures for SkyDrive's production aircraft, the SKYDRIVE (Model SD-05), as per an official statement by the company.
"SkyDrive is leveraging Kineco's advanced manufacturing capabilities to secure its global supply chain, targeting full-scale commercial operations by 2028," the Japanese startup said.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Electric aircraft with 1/3rd the noise of helicopters? That would be a blessing for our cities. But affordability is the big question — will this be accessible only to the elite like most air travel in India? Hope they consider making it viable for medical emergencies and disaster relief too.
Interesting, but let's keep expectations realistic. India's civil aviation regulatory framework needs major updates before we see these flying taxis. The government should focus on creating proper airspace corridors, landing infrastructure, and safety protocols first. 2028 seems ambitious for India's scale.
As someone who's lived in India and now the US, I see the tremendous potential here. The partnership with Kineco for manufacturing is a smart move — 'Make in India' meets Japanese technology. Could be a game-changer for tier-2 city connectivity too, not just metros. Exciting times! 🚀
While the concept is exciting, I'm skeptical about safety during emergencies and power failures. Our hospitals need dependable medical evacuation — battery-powered aircraft might not be ready for that level of reliability yet. Also, what about the charging infrastructure? We still have power cuts in many areas.
Sheer potential! If they can manufacture these aircraft in India with Kineco, it could create thousands of jobs and boost our aerospace ecosystem. But we need clarity on maintenance costs, pilot (or autonomous) training, and most importantly — proof that it works in extreme heat and pollution. Fingers crossed! 🤞
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