SkyDrive Inc and Nomura Real Estate Development Co., Ltd., have announced the selection of their joint proposal for the “eVTOL Implementation Project (Phase I) ” by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. The consortium includes ANA Holdings Inc., East Japan Railway Company, Aero Toyota Corporation, Seibu Holdings Inc., and Nikken Sekkei Ltd. The project will utilize aircraft from both SkyDrive and a consortium partner, Joby Aviation, Inc., for various use cases.
“In this Project, we aim for implementation across multiple use cases by leveraging the distinct uniqueness of the SkyDrive and Joby aircraft,” said SkyDrive in a press release. “We plan to conduct feasibility studies for potential vertiport locations, develop these sites based on the findings, enhance social acceptance through mock-up exhibitions and public open house events, and select final vertiport locations from Fiscal Year 2028 onward, with an eye toward commercialization in urban areas.
“Through these initiatives, we will strengthen urban functions via the early implementation of eVTOLs within Tokyo and communicate the blueprint for next-generation mobility to the world.
“In the “2050 Tokyo Strategy (*2),” the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has specified the “refinement of the roadmap” and the “establishment of an implementation scheme (implementation project) (*3) ” as concrete steps toward the social implementation of eVTOLs, with the goal of implementation in urban areas by 2030. However, achieving this requires solving various challenges, including enhancing public acceptance, examining technical issues such as airspace management, and ensuring consistency with urban planning.
“To resolve these challenges and facilitate the early implementation of eVTOLs in Tokyo, this Project aims to conduct demonstration flights in the coastal and river areas within Fiscal Year 2026, followed by pre-commercial service implementation within Fiscal Year 2027.
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