Panaji: Pilerne-based Kineco has entered into a strategic partnership with Japanese aerospace company SkyDrive Inc. to manufacture and supply lightweight composite parts for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.Kineco will manufacture critical aerostructures for SkyDrive as the Japanese company moves towards full-scale production. SkyDrive began testing eVTOL prototypes in 2014 and, in 2019, became the first company to fly a crewed eVTOL in Japan. After commencing production in 2024 at a Suzuki Motor Corporation plant, it successfully conducted demonstration flights at Expo 2025 Osaka.The collaboration marks Kineco Aerospace’s first dedicated eVTOL production programme and its entry into the electric mobility aircraft segment.“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,” said Vivek Srivastava, Group CEO of Kineco Limited.Kineco also announced an expansion of its partnership with Austrian aerospace company FACC to supply components that will eventually be used in Airbus aircraft. Production is scheduled to begin by the end of 2027, company officials said.“Being entrusted with a second Airbus work package by FACC is a significant milestone in our partnership,” said Sudhi Ranjan Mukherjee, chief operating officer of Kineco Aerospace.The announcements were made at the Farnborough International Airshow 2026.“While each announcement represents a significant achievement in its own right, together they reflect a clear strategic vision — to build a globally competitive aerospace enterprise delivering advanced composite solutions across commercial aviation, defence, autonomous systems and advanced air mobility,” said Shekhar Sardessai, founder, chairperson and managing director of Kineco Group.The group is investing in manufacturing capabilities and partnerships for next-generation aircraft and autonomous platforms. Kineco has also launched a centre of excellence (CoE) for autonomous solutions to accelerate the industrialisation of next-generation autonomous systems from India for global markets. The company is also looking to leverage the expertise of UK-based CT Engineering Group in product engineering to jointly pursue opportunities in unmanned autonomous systems across aerial, land and maritime platforms.
