Business · Companies · 17 hrs ago
15 companies study 2028 air taxi service in western Japan
MUFG Bank and 14 other companies are studying an air taxi service for western Japan.
The planned service would use compact electric aircraft made by Japanese startup SkyDrive and target the Kansai region, including Osaka and Kyoto.
The aircraft can take off and land vertically, and SkyDrive demonstrated flights at last year’s Osaka-Kansai Expo.
The group will assess whether the service can work as a business, including possible fares and ways to attract passengers through tourism.
It will also consider vertiports and charging facilities, since a lack of places to take off and land is a major obstacle, especially in cities.
The companies aim to decide around next summer whether to form an operating company.
Japan’s government expects commercial services using this type of aircraft to begin in 2027 or 2028, and the Kansai service is planned for 2028.
Fifteen companies are studying a possible air taxi service in western Japan, with a launch planned for 2028.
The proposed service would use aircraft made by Japanese startup SkyDrive and target the Kansai region, including Osaka and Kyoto prefectures.
The companies will assess infrastructure, fares, demand and whether the service is commercially viable.
They expect to decide around next summer whether to establish a jointly owned operating company.
- Who
- MUFG Bank and 14 other companies are studying the service, using aircraft made by SkyDrive.
- What
- They are considering a commercial air taxi service and may establish a jointly owned company to operate it.
- When
- The service is planned for launch in 2028; the companies expect to decide around next summer whether to establish an operator.
- Where
- Western Japan, targeting the Kansai region, including Osaka and Kyoto prefectures.
- Why
- The companies aim to assess the service’s commercial viability, infrastructure needs and ways to generate demand through tourism.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The Japanese government updated its road map, saying it expects commercial services using next-generation air mobility vehicles to start between 2027 and 2028.
SkyDrive conducted more than a dozen demonstration flights with its battery-powered aircraft.
MUFG Bank senior managing executive officer Shin Kitamura spoke at a news conference in Osaka about developing new transport infrastructure.
The companies expect to decide whether to establish a jointly owned company to operate the service.
The proposed air taxi service is planned to launch.
- Companies studying the service
- 15
- Planned launch
- 2028
- Target region
- Kansai, including Osaka and Kyoto prefectures
- Aircraft maker
- SkyDrive Inc.
- Aircraft capacity
- A pilot and up to two passengers
- Decision on joint operator
- Around next summer
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