We’re excited to share that Stirling Dynamics has entered into a development agreement with SkyDrive Inc., a pioneering eVTOL aircraft manufacturer based in Japan. This collaboration marks a significant step forward in the evolution of future electric air travel.
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Under the agreement, our multi-disciplinary team at Stirling Dynamics will be supporting SkyDrive in the design, development, certification, and manufacture of the pilot control stick for their first production model – the SKYDRIVE SD-05. This zero-emission flying vehicle is designed for short-distance air taxi services in urban environments, with potential applications in emergency medical transport and building-to-building travel. SkyDrive’s vision of creating “Beyond Drive,” aims to make air travel more accessible, efficient, and sustainable. “This partnership is about more than just engineering,” said Bandula Pathinayake, Vice President at Stirling Dynamics. “It’s about transforming the way we think about transportation. We’re thrilled to support SkyDrive in bringing their innovative SD-05 to life and helping to redefine urban mobility.” |
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Collaborating with Stirling Dynamics is a key milestone for us. Their experience in active control inceptors and human-machine interaction is invaluable as we work to create a flight control experience that’s safe, responsive, and pilot-friendly.
Arnaud Coville |
The announcement was made at the Paris Air Show 2025, where leaders from both companies came together to celebrate the partnership (see photo).
From left to right in the photo: Arnaud Coville, Chief Development Officer at SkyDrive; Bandula Pathinayake, Vice President at Stirling Dynamics; and Rajesh Krishnamurthy, Chief Executive Officer at Expleo, at the Paris Air Show 2025.
Jonathan Boon, our Head of Business in Products, said, “We’re proud to be part of this journey, contributing our deep expertise in cockpit controls to ensure the SD-05’s pilot control stick is intuitive, reliable, and meets the highest standards of airworthiness.”
Stay tuned as we continue to push the boundaries of aerospace innovation and bring the future of urban air mobility closer to reality.