Toyota, Japan. SkyDrive Inc., a leading eVTOL aircraft manufacturer based in Japan, has announced the signing of a new partnership agreement with West Nippon Expressway Company (NEXCO West). Under the agreement, both parties will investigate the commercial feasibility of advanced air mobility (eVTOL) services based in expressway parking and service areas.
Background
SkyDrive is developing eVTOLs with the mission of “leading a once-in-a-century mobility revolution”. Our goal is to make simple and convenient air travel a regular part of city life. During 2025, over a period of around six weeks, SkyDrive successfully showcased demonstration flights of the “SKYDRIVE” (SkyDrive Model SD-05) both at the Expo 2025 Osaka and at a second vertiport within the city of Osaka. Having conducted further demonstration flights in Tokyo during February 2026, SkyDrive is driving towards its next major milestone: commercial operations in 2028.
Under its “MOVE!2030” mid-term management plan, West Nippon Expressway Company (NEXCO West) is committed to creating new value and contributing to regional economic development, working to resolve the issues that affect communities through active involvement in new areas of business.
SkyDrive’s ties with NEXCO West began when research into the future potential of air mobility led us to focus on the service and parking areas as potential sites for eVTOL vertiports (takeoff and landing pads). With service areas and parking areas accessible at intervals of between 10 and 30 kilometres, vertiports within these facilities would allow the next generation of air mobility technology to create added value and contribute to the regional development of the communities running alongside the expressway network.
NEXCO West decided to partner with SkyDrive as SkyDrive’s goals not only chime with NEXCO West’s mid-term management plan, they also align with the philosophy of creating a legacy from the 2025 Expo in Osaka, as supported by the Kansai Economic Federation (Kankeiren), an umbrella organisation for major corporations based in the Kansai region. NEXCO West is a longstanding and influential corporate member of the Kankeiren.
Partnership Objectives and Scope
Through this partnership, SkyDrive and NEXCO West will investigate the commercial feasibility of using service areas and parking areas operated by NEXCO West as a hub for next generation air mobility services.
Driving new value, contributing to local economies
Transforming the services and parking areas along NEXCO West’s expressways into departure points for sightseeing flights and other advanced air mobility options will create new opportunities for added consumer value. Longer term, we hope that links between expressway and eVTOL services hubs can help stimulate local economies.
Improved post-disaster response
SkyDrive’s aircraft can help authorities assess post-disaster damage from the air and consider post-disaster response options. Improved eVTOL access from alongside NEXCO West’s expressways can help mitigate the adverse impact of natural disasters.
Where We Go from Here
As its next step, SkyDrive and NEXCO West will look into how and where to best deploy SkyDrive’s air mobility services as we look to meet the public’s expectations over the value this next generation of aircraft can provide. Together, they aim to harness expressway service areas and parking areas as a base for new value creation, a source of regional economic stimulus, and a means of providing improved disaster mitigation response.
SkyDrive CEO Tomohiro Fukuzawa, commented, “SkyDrive is honoured and delighted to enter into this partnership with NEXCO West. In developing our aircraft, we are looking to lead this “once-in-a-century” mobility revolution. This new partnership is a meaningful step forward for our business. Combining the expertise in managing road infrastructure delivered by NEXCO West with the easy access to short-hop air travel and sightseeing flights delivered by SkyDrive opens up a new realm of possibilities.”
“The service areas and parking areas within NEXCO West’s extensive network of expressways already serve large numbers of visitors. Adding air mobility services to the shopping and other facilities already on offer will add to the appeal of this highway infrastructure, turning these already busy waystations into a gateway to the skies. SkyDrive’s air mobility services will not only be able to increase value for tourists through sightseeing flights, they may also help provide peace of mind to local residents through a future role in post-disaster recovery. In partnership with NEXCO West, we are proud to be taking firm steps towards new value creation as we work to bring the next generation of air mobility technology to people in the regions served by NEXCO West’s expressway network,” he added.
NEXCO West President and Representative Director Yoshiharu Shibamura, stated, “SkyDrive is Japan’s leading pioneer in bringing ‘flying cars’ to life, already working in close partnership with numerous local governments and infrastructure companies. We are deeply honoured to have entered into an agreement to collaborate and move forward with these initiatives together. The future availability of sightseeing flights from our service and parking areas would bring new vitality and economic benefits to these facilities, further elevating them from rest facilities to destinations in their own right. Basing SkyDrive’s aircraft alongside our highways will also open up possibilities for assessing post-disaster damage and measures for reconstruction, helping to mitigate the adverse effects of Japan’s frequent earthquakes and other natural disasters.”
“As a corporate member of the Kansai Economic Federation (Kankeiren), we note how SkyDrive’s approach to air mobility also aligns with Kankeiren’s philosophy of harnessing the 2025 Expo in Osaka to spur the adoption into society of cutting-edge technology. Through this partnership with SkyDrive, we look forward to pooling our resources and examining in detail the commercial and disaster mitigation possibilities of this remarkable new technology, ensuring that we work closely together to explore specific use cases and potential service areas,” Shibamura added.
