Japan’s SkyDrive announced today that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with three Thai companies: Bangkok Airways Public Company Limited, Saha Pathana Inter-Holding Public Company Limited and Saha Tokyu Corporation Company Limited to develop an eVTOL roadmap “covering the exploration of routes in Sri Racha, Bangkok and Koh Samui, as well as the development of tickets sales and maintenance networks,” say the companies in a press release.
This latest agreement follows on from a first MOU, signed in June 2024 by SPI, Saha Tokyu and SkyDrive, to support studies into the feasibility of introducing the SKYDRIVE aircraft Thailand. Now, Bangkok Airways is joining together with the three original signatories to explore more effective, concrete commercial possibilities for SkyDrive’s eVTOLs.
“The addition of Bangkok Airways to SkyDrive’s existing partnership with the Saha Group and Tokyu Group is a further step towards the establishment of next generation urban mobility infrastructure and a model of eVTOL use that links flights into the fabric of the city,” continues the press release. “ Success in Thailand will provide a springboard for the roll out of viable eVTOL networks in Japan, as well as in other nations such as Australia and Vietnam. The seamless integration of next generation urban air mobility into urban development programs will create advanced urban transport networks that can be adapted to fit major cities across the world.”
The four parties will first work together over the exhibition and demonstration of the aircraft and determine the support systems required to achieve the smooth sale, storage and maintenance of the aircraft, as well as the training of pilots and other personnel, as fleet size and flight frequency increases. The four parties will also investigate how, in the longer term, a wider range of business functions could be relocated into local markets as required by demand trends and market maturity.
They will start to assess and select specific flight routes within Thailand, focusing on alleviating traffic congestion and improving passenger access and convenience to a variety of destinations andwork to develop sightseeing flight options, levering the aircraft’s potential to stimulate further demand in the tourism industry.
Routes under consideration include a network linking Saha Tokyu’s J-Park/HarmoniQ development (upscale residences designed primarily for the families of Japanese people living and working in Thailand) with outlying islands and tourist attractions in Koh Sichang, Koh Lan and Pattaya.
In the medium and long term, the four signatories are looking to develop air taxi routes linking central Bangkok, and residences such as Kings Square Residence, with Suvarnabhumi International Airport.
The parties to the agreement will seek to operate sightseeing eVTOL flights that leverage the beauty of Koh Samui’s natural scenery. We will also examine the potential for fast and reliable air mobility services between Koh Samui’s airport and its various resorts, allowing tourists to reach their destinations in comfort without the inconvenience of traffic congestion or long boat rides.
Bangkok Airways owns and operates three airports in Thailand, Samui Airport, Sukhothai Airport, and Trat Airport, and provides vital air connectivity to key leisure and economic destinations, including Samui, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Krabi, Trat, Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, and other major cities in the region. The company’s airport-related businesses also include in-flight catering services, the supply of ground support equipment in accordance with international standards, and the operation of international air cargo terminal services.
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(Image: SkyDrive)