SkyDrive, Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance and Nippon Koei today announced the signing of a partnership agreement designed to promote the preparatory research required for the launch of eVTOL services in Japan.
SkyDrive and Tokio Marine & Nichido began collaborating in August 2020, when Tokio Marine & Nichido provided insurance for SkyDrive’s first flight of a crewed prototype, that saw SkyDrive become the first Japanese company to ever fly a crewed eVTOL. “Since then, both companies, together with the additional cooperation of Nippon Koei, have been studying various issues related to the future rollout of eVTOL services including safety assurance, public acceptance of eVTOL technology, and the establishment of the operational infrastructure needed to support regular eVTOL flights,” say the companies in a press release. “This work included a joint study on route feasibility in the Osaka Bay area in July 2022.”
The three companies will jointly conduct research and assessments on the following key areas:
- Target areas and use case selection: Selecting flight routes and use cases where eVTOLs can effectively address local transportation challenges and meet tourism demands.
- Vertiport feasibility study: Planning vertiport placement, studying maintenance and operation methods, and identifying legal matters related to building codes, fire regulations, and licensing procedures.
- Business model development: Studying potential eVTOL usage, building sustainable revenue models, and promoting discussions with local governments and relevant authorities.
- Risk management and insurance for safe operations: Conducting risk assessments of demonstration trials and future commercial operations to examine appropriate insurance and compensation frameworks, as well as safety management systems.
For more information
https://skydrive.co.jp/en/news/72696/