SkyDrive Accelerates Preparations for eVTOL Medevac Services in Taiwan

- MoU on Medevac Services signed by SkyDrive, ITRI, a leading Taiwanese research institution, and 7A Drones, our Taiwanese business partner -

TOYOTA, Japan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SkyDrive Inc. (“SkyDrive”), a leading compact eVTOL (*1) aircraft manufacturer based in Japan, announces the signing of a three-party agreement on a "framework for future eVTOL medical transport services in Taiwan". The agreement, signed on July 15, 2026, brings together SkyDrive, the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), a leading Taiwanese research and development organization, and 7A Drones, SkyDrive's business partner in the implementation of this project.

This agreement, which builds on prior use case analysis and the Letter of Intent signed by 7A Drones for the future purchase of SkyDrive aircraft, clarifies the division of responsibilities and future timeline for the operation of medical transport services flown in Taiwan by eVTOL aircraft.

Background to the Current Agreement

Cooperation between the three parties began in May 2025 with the signing of a partnership agreement that committed the signatories to work towards the commercialization of eVTOL services in Taiwan's Penghu Islands, located in the Taiwan Strait. This work began with efforts to define potential eVTOL use cases in the field of medical transport. Subsequently, in February 2026, a Letter of Intent for the purchase of 10 SKYDRIVE (SkyDrive model SD-05) aircraft was signed between SkyDrive and 7A Drones, with both parties also developing a proposed emergency medical evacuation route connecting Magong City on Penghu's main island with Hujing Island, a more remote island within the Penghu Islands (*2).

Remote Taiwanese islands face chronic medical access challenges including restricted inter-island transportation during rough winter weather when ferry services are frequently cancelled. With these challenges leaving significant scope for SkyDrive's eVTOL aircraft to make a meaningful social contribution, SkyDrive is focusing on Penghu Island as a high priority project.

7A Drones, which develops drone solutions for a wide range of applications including logistics, disaster prevention, and post-disaster relief, is also deeply engaged in the development of future autonomous flight technologies. 7A Drones is participating in the Penghu Islands project as SkyDrive's commercial and operational partner, taking responsibility for a wide range of roles including on-site feasibility studies, aircraft operations, aircraft maintenance and repair, negotiation with governmental and medical institutions, and preparations for entry into service.

Summary Details of this New Agreement: Shift from Conceptual to Preparatory Phase

With this new agreement, the project moves from the conceptual and exploratory phase into the preparatory phase. The three parties have agreed on the concrete milestones to be met in the run-up to entry into service from 2028 or later, leading and supporting the various aspects of the project as per the below:

• Defining and expanding initial routes: SkyDrive, 7A and ITRI will finalize further details of the planned Magong-Hujing route, while also adding further candidate routes within the Penghu Islands.
• Cooperation with medical services and other related organizations: The project will identify candidate hospitals, clinics and emergency medical services, as well as local authority public health centers, with 7A Drones and ITRI taking the lead in specific, practical discussions with the local related parties.
• Identifying and readying vertiports (takeoff and landing sites): 7A Drones will make use of their local networks to identify candidates for permanent vertiport sites, and temporary emergency landing sites, in Magong, Hujing, and other locations, engaging in advance discussions with land owners and administrators.
• Clarifying technical requirements: By harnessing a combination of SkyDrive's technical knowledge of eVTOL and 7A Drones' track record of experience in operating and maintaining drones, including the operation of large cargo drones, both parties will establish the technical and operational requirements that will govern the systems needed to operate and control unmanned aircraft, as well as related control, communications, power supply and charging infrastructure.
• Building frameworks for public-private collaboration: ITRI and 7A Drones will work together to examine possibilities for the launch of combined public-private teams that include the central and local government officials involved in overseeing medical treatment, transportation, electricity supply and communications, with the goal of harnessing such teams for the resolution of cross-domain issues including systems design, regulatory frameworks and infrastructure readiness.

Comments

Dr. Pei-Zen Chang, President of the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI)

We believe that the use of eVTOL for emergency medical transportation in the Penghu Islands will represent an important step towards demonstrating the social utility of eVTOL aircraft. I am delighted that our cooperation with SkyDrive and 7A Drones has moved forward into this new phase. At ITRI, we have been working for many years to support the development of industry in Taiwan through technical innovation. As an applied R&D institution, we are working not only to develop and demonstrate eVTOL technology, we are also striving, through collaboration between administrative, industrial and academic organizations, to contribute to the future development of technical and industrial cooperation between Japan and Taiwan. We hope that this project, alongside its contribution to new modes of mobility for residents of remote islands, will also deepen the cooperative relationship between Japan and Taiwan, and spur the development of the eVTOL industry across Asia.

Hsu Hsin-Sheng, CEO, 7A Drones Co., Ltd.

We at 7A Drones warmly welcome the advancement to the next stage of this project, which is designed to provide eVTOL-driven emergency medical transport in the Penghu Islands. Since signing a Letter of Intent (LOI) for the purchase of SkyDrive aircraft, 7A Drones has continued various investigations into the future commercialization of eVTOL in Taiwan. This latest agreement is a highly significant development which allows us to work together with all related stakeholders to put in place specific preparations for the future launch of eVTOL services. In cooperation with SkyDrive and ITRI, we will now move steadily forward, one step at a time, to assess the specifics of aircraft and service operations, while working together with related organizations to build the necessary eVTOL infrastructure. Our goal is to establish this project as a core model case for the commercialization of eVTOL in Taiwan, while also harnessing the project as an opportunity to further deepen relations between Japan and Taiwan.

Tomohiro Fukuzawa, CEO and Founder, SkyDrive Inc.

SkyDrive is honored to have this opportunity to contribute to improved emergency medical services in Taiwan's Penghu Islands through the use of our aircraft to provide emergency medical transport. We consider this an extremely significant project and, with the strong support of our partners ITRI and 7A Drones, we are pleased to move this project vigorously forward from the conceptual to the preparatory phase.

Focusing on the route linking Magong and Hujing as our core service, we will address each of the individual elements required to achieve our goals including coordination with hospitals and emergency medical services, preparation of vertiports (takeoff and landing pads), systems for operating and controlling unmanned aircraft, readiness of charging infrastructure, the development of the necessary legal frameworks, and coordination between the public and private sectors. This project will only be possible with the powerful support of ITRI, a leading Taiwanese research institution, and 7A Drones. We will continue to work closely with our Taiwanese counterparts to make these plans a reality. We are all committed to developing medical eVTOL transport in the Penghu Islands as a first model case for the successful commercialization of eVTOL in Taiwan, and as a foundation for further contributions to future medical services in remote islands elsewhere in Asia and around the world.

About Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI)

Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), one of the world's leading technology R&D institutions, aims to innovate a better future for society. Founded in 1973, ITRI has played a vital role in transforming Taiwan's industries from labor-intensive to innovation-driven. Over the years, ITRI has been deeply involved in incubating startups and spinoffs, including well-known names such as UMC and TSMC. Based in Taiwan, the institute also has branches in the US, Germany, the UK, Japan and Thailand.

For more information, please visit: https://www.itri.org.tw/english/

About 7A Drones Co., Ltd.

7A Drones Co., Ltd., established in 2018 and part of the I-Mei Group, develops and manufactures UAVs for sectors such as agriculture, logistics, disaster response, and medical transport. The company leads Taiwan's drone spraying market and actively supports smart mobility both locally and internationally. It is the only company in Taiwan to receive CAA type certification for multicopter UAVs over 25 kg, with its drones adopted for official training. In logistics, 7A Drones obtained special certification for UAVs up to 150kg, and is currently commercializing the next generation of logistics drones. With multiple patented technologies, the company is working to advance the legal and operational frameworks required to construct an air mobility ecosystem while also leading the introduction of next generation air mobility technology including AI-enabled autonomous drones and large logistics drones.

For more information, please visit: https://7adrones.com/en

About SkyDrive Inc.

SkyDrive is a Japanese compact eVTOL company aiming “to take the lead in the once-in-a-century mobility revolution”. The company began testing eVTOL prototypes in 2014 prior to official incorporation in 2018. Under its future vision for urban transportation, flying in eVTOLs will become a regular part of city life. In 2019, SkyDrive became the first company to fly a crewed eVTOL in Japan. In 2025, the company successfully showcased the eVTOL "SKYDRIVE", the company’s first eVTOL product, with demonstration flights at the Osaka Expo witnessed by thousands of visitors over a one-month period. SkyDrive began production of “SKYDRIVE” in March 2024 at a plant owned by Suzuki Motor Corporation, SkyDrive's official production partner. SkyDrive has been working with civil aviation authorities in Japan and the US to obtain certification for “SKYDRIVE”, with the aim of launching the aircraft into service in 2028. SkyDrive is headquartered in Toyota, Aichi Prefecture, and led by CEO Tomohiro Fukuzawa, an engineer and entrepreneur.

For more information, please visit: https://skydrive.co.jp/en/

Editor’s Notes:
(*1) “eVTOL” is an abbreviation for electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing. As the name suggests, eVTOL aircraft can take off and land without a runway. eVTOLs are powered by electricity and incorporate advanced, automatic, flight control technology.

(*2) Related press releases
https://skydrive.co.jp/en/archives/15479
https://skydrive.co.jp/en/archives/17581