SkyDrive, an Aichi-based company preparing to provide commercial eVTOL services, will use the new vertiport for demonstration flights during the Expo programme. The completion was marked with a ceremony held in collaboration with Osaka City.
Transportation provider Osaka Metro operates nine metro lines and the New Tram, an automated, driverless service. It is also promoting “e METRO”, an urban MaaS (mobility as a service) initiative designed to meet the diverse needs of customers by providing a unified mobility service that integrates various modes of transport, including future eVTOL flights.
According to SkyDrive, its eVTOL aircraft SKYDRIVE offers a new form of aerial mobility that enables fast and efficient short-to-medium-distance travel. It also has the potential to provide unique, high-value leisure travel experiences distinct from those offered by traditional mobility options such as buses (whether scheduled or on-demand) and subway routes.
Osaka Metro
Users can experience the simulated check-in and boarding of a mock-up eVTOL aircraft
In January 2024, the City of Osaka chose Osaka Metro as the operator of a vertiport to serve the Expo venue in Osaka City’s Minato Ward. Since winning that bid, Osaka Metro has worked on developing the vertiport at Osaka Port’s Chuo Pier. During the Expo, SKYDRIVE is scheduled to operate demo flights between the EXPO Vertiport, a vertiport located inside the Expo site, and the OSAKAKO Vertiport.
The vertiport facilities include a hangar for the maintenance, refuelling, and storage of eVTOLs, a take-off and landing area, and a passenger facility where users can experience the simulated check-in and boarding of a mock-up eVTOL aircraft through a process that includes facial recognition. The vertiport is also designed to serve as a mobility hub, connecting eVTOLs with other transportation options such as on-demand buses and shared bicycles.
Osaka Metro
The name OSAKAKO Vertiport references Osaka Ko, the name of the nearest station on Osaka Metro’s Chuo Line
AloJapan.com