SkyDrive, a leading compact eVTOL (*1) aircraft manufacturer based in Japan, announced at the Farnborough International Airshow 2026 a strategic partnership with Kineco Limited (“Kineco”), one of India’s leading aerospace composite manufacturers. Under the agreement, Kineco will develop and manufacture high-performance composite aerostructures for SkyDrive’s production aircraft, the SKYDRIVE (Model SD-05).
This landmark collaboration marks a critical step forward in SkyDrive’s transition from prototype demonstration to scalable mass production. Following its successful flights at Expo 2025 Osaka etc., SkyDrive is leveraging Kineco’s advanced manufacturing capabilities to secure its global supply chain, targeting full-scale commercial operations by 2028.
Key Highlights of the Partnership Include：
- Full-scope production support: Kineco’s role spans tool design, prototype development, certification support, and serial production readiness.
- Industrial-Scale Infrastructure: Production will leverage Kineco’s newly installed 3-meter x 12-meter Scholz Autoclave in Goa, one of India’s largest aerospace composite processing systems, ensuring capacity for future production scale-up.
Securing a Scalable Manufacturing Ecosystem
With more than three decades of expertise in advanced composites, Kineco is one of India’s leading composite engineering and manufacturing companies, serving the Railway, Aerospace, Defence, Marine, and Renewable Energy sectors. Kineco has an established track record of supporting leading OEMs and Tier-1 Customers, delivering complex, flight-critical composite structures that meet the highest standards of aerospace quality and certification.
SkyDrive’s mission is to “lead the once-in-a-century mobility revolution” by developing eVTOL aircraft that seamlessly integrate air mobility into everyday transportation.
As eVTOL aircraft incorporate high-voltage electric propulsion systems and increasingly complex airframe architectures, advanced composite structures become essential to meeting demanding requirements for lightweight performance, structural integrity, safety, manufacturability, and regulatory certification. Kineco’s advanced composite manufacturing capabilities will play a pivotal role in delivering these next-generation airframe solutions, supporting SkyDrive’s vision of bringing safe, efficient, and commercially scalable air mobility into everyday life.
By combining SkyDrive’s innovative aircraft development with Kineco’s proven expertise in advanced composite aerostructures, SkyDrive aims to further strengthen the maturity, reliability, manufacturability, and industrial readiness of the SkyDrive eVTOL aircraft while establishing a robust manufacturing ecosystem capable of supporting future production scale-up as SkyDrive progresses toward commercialization.
This collaboration also marks Kineco Aerospace’s first dedicated production eVTOL programme, representing a significant milestone in the company’s expansion into the rapidly growing Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) sector and reinforcing its position as a trusted global partner for next-generation aerospace platforms.
The agreement underscores the growing momentum behind Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and highlights the increasing collaboration between Japanese aircraft innovators and India’s advanced aerospace manufacturing ecosystem in the growth of next-generation aviation programmes that are shaping the future of sustainable air mobility.
Comments
Vivek Srivastava, CEO, Kineco Group, said:
“We are pleased to formalise our partnership with SkyDrive on this pioneering eVTOL programme through the signing of this strategic development agreement. This collaboration reflects the shared commitment of India and Japan to advance sustainable aviation technologies, while reinforcing Kineco’s capabilities in delivering complex, flight-critical composite aerostructures that meet the highest standards of quality, reliability, and manufacturing excellence. We look forward to supporting SkyDrive as it progresses toward commercialisation of the SKYDRIVE aircraft, and to further establishing India as a globally competitive destination for high-value aerospace manufacturing.”
Arnaud Coville, CTO, SkyDrive, said:
“We are thrilled to partner with Kineco, one of India’s leading aerospace composite manufacturers, for the development and production of the SKYDRIVE (SD-05) aerostructures. Kineco has developed a breadth of experience serving various OEMs across the globe and is investing significantly to increase capacity and capability. With a large engineering organisation and strong network, we are able to industrialize at an accelerated pace. This collaboration not only strengthens our manufacturing ecosystem but also deepens the technological and industrial bonds between Japan and India in the cutting-edge Advanced Air Mobility sector.”
