SkyDrive reports it has officially received Approved Design Organization (ADO) certification from the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB), under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT).
“SkyDrive is the first dedicated eVTOL developer in Japan to achieve this prestigious certification,” said the company in a press release. “The ADO status serves as official public proof that SkyDrive possesses rigorous quality control and safety management systems regarding its capabilities for aircraft design and post-design inspection. This achievement marks a definitive step forward in the commercialization of eVTOLs and the establishment of a next-generation mobility ecosystem in Japan.”
“The Approved Organization System is a framework in which the MLIT audits and certifies whether an organization’s capability to conduct its operations meets specific standards,” said the company. “Within this system, the ADO certification is granted to organizations that possess the systems necessary to properly execute aircraft design and post-design inspections. By obtaining this certification, organizations are authorized to conduct a portion of the inspections typically performed by the government, thereby streamlining the development process. As of April 2026, SkyDrive joins an elite group of only six companies in Japan—including major long-standing aerospace manufacturers—to hold this certification, underscoring the company’s exceptional engineering standards”
The company also reports it is currently pursuing a Type Certificate (TC), which validates the safety of its aircraft, with the goal of practical implementation from 2028 onwards.
For more information
https://skydrive.co.jp/en/archives/18082
(From left: Harald Nagler, Head of Airworthiness and Type Certification, SkyDrive, Arnaud Coville, Chief Technology Officer, SkyDrive, Fujimaki Yoshihiro, Director of Aircraft Engineering and Certification Center, Airworthiness Division, Safety and Security Department, Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB), Yuwaraj Dande, Manager of ADO and Process Assurance at Airworthiness and Type Certification, SkyDrive)