SkyDrive (“SkyDrive”), a leading eVTOL (*1) aircraft manufacturer based in Japan, is pleased to announce the signing of a partnership agreement with 7A Drones Co., Ltd. (“7A Drones”), a major drone system company in Taiwan, and the Industrial Technology Research Institute (“ITRI”), a leading Taiwan-based applied research organization, to explore the potential for eVTOL operations in Taiwan.
This partnership aims to jointly develop use cases for the emergency medical transport of patients and physicians using the SKYDRIVE (*2), SkyDrive’s eVTOL aircraft. The project focuses specifically on the Penghu Islands, an island group located off Taiwan’s west coast, with the initial planned routes connecting various islets within the archipelago’s Magong City. In addition, 7A Drones has placed a pre-order for up to ten SKYDRIVE aircraft.
About the Planned Routes
In March 2024, SkyDrive entered into a business partnership with 7A Drones and ITRI to collaborate on mutual business development and market expansion efforts in Japan and Taiwan. Under the newly signed partnership agreement, the parties aim to use the SKYDRIVE to connect Penghu Island, the main island in the Penghu Archipelago, with surrounding inhabited islets within a 10-kilometer radius. This initiative will initially focus on providing the infrastructure required to dispatch physicians.
The Penghu Archipelago comprises 90 islands of various sizes, 19 of which are inhabited. The lack of adequate emergency medical provision on these isolated islands generates an elevated need for emergency medical transport, and meeting this need is a long-standing challenge. As an initial use case, the project will focus on connecting a hospital in Magong City and Hujing Island.
Pre-orders for up to 10 eVTOL aircraft
7A Drones has committed to a pre-order of up to 10 SkyDrive eVTOL aircraft.
Future Plans
The three companies aim to launch the above services from 2028, with these eVTOL operations forming part of the Taiwanese government’s broader “AAM (Advanced Air Mobility)” policy.
This project is being advanced through public-private collaboration in Taiwan, with various government agencies, research institutes, and private companies each contributing their respective expertise. Stakeholders are working together across areas such as operations, regulatory development, technical evaluation, vertiport infrastructure, and medical coordination, aiming to establish new public healthcare infrastructure using eVTOL technology.
SkyDrive intends to leverage the model being developed in the Penghu Islands as a foundational platform for the operation of further eVTOL businesses in other parts of Taiwan. This expansion will include similar medical services as well as innovative urban route concepts that strategically widen the scope of eVTOL operations into other sectors including tourism.
Comments
Tomohiro Fukuzawa, CEO of SkyDrive Inc.
We are very pleased to enter into a partnership with 7A Drones and ITRI to advance the commercialization of eVTOL operations in Taiwan. In Taiwan, particularly on remote islands, there are significant challenges related to emergency medical services, and eVTOLs can play a central role in addressing these issues. By combining SkyDrive’s expertise with the extensive operational knowledge of 7A Drones and the broad organizational capabilities of ITRI, we aim to contribute to local communities in Taiwan while building a sustainable air mobility model that will serve as a precedent for other regions in Asia. We look forward to furthering our long-term collaboration with public and private partners to establish a sustainable and robust business foundation.
Hsin-Sheng Hsu, CEO of 7A Drones Co., Ltd.
We are honored to collaborate with SkyDrive Inc., one of Japan’s leading eVTOL manufacturers, and the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), Taiwan’s premier public research organization, to jointly advance a project aimed at realizing an air mobility society in Taiwan. Taiwan is home to numerous remote islands which face urgent, critical issues including not only the transportation of daily necessities and medical supplies but also the establishment of a rapid emergency medical transport system for doctors and patients. Through this project, and in close partnership with SkyDrive and ITRI, we aim to build an environment where every citizen in Taiwan can access appropriate medical services regardless of geographic constraints. Moving forward, we remain committed to building a more sustainable and inclusive next-generation air infrastructure through public-private collaboration.
Wen-Yang Peng, Deputy General Director of Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI)
We are honored to collaborate on this project with SkyDrive Inc., a leading Japanese eVTOL manufacturer known for its highly reliable control systems, lightweight aircraft, and high-efficiency airframe design, and also with 7A Drones, a Taiwanese company with extensive experience in drone development and inter-island logistics. Together, we aim to expand the position and contribution of air mobility within Taiwanese society.
At ITRI, we are committed to supporting the integration of expertise and technologies from both Taiwan and Japan, and to accelerating the adoption of innovative technologies for the benefit of society. As Taiwan works to serve the needs of its rapidly aging population, there is a growing and urgent need to ensure that all residents—including those in remote island regions—can access appropriate medical services. To address this, we are moving forward with efforts to promote legal and regulatory development, infrastructure building, operational frameworks, and public acceptance, with the support of advanced technologies.
This project is being promoted through public-private collaboration in Taiwan, with each participating institution and company playing a key role in its respective area. These efforts span a wide range of domains, including operational planning, regulatory system design, technical evaluation, takeoff/landing infrastructure development, and medical coordination. Moving forward, we will continue working closely with government agencies, research institutes, and private-sector partners to expand the convenience and scope of the air mobility services provided by eVTOLs, focusing particularly on the part they can play in establishing the next-generation of public healthcare infrastructure in Taiwan.
