SkyDrive, a leading eVTOL aircraft manufacturer based in Japan, and Osaka Metro propose eVTOL routes connecting four key destinations in Osaka.
Market research has already identified the identified areas as critical hubs for the city’s future mobility network.
SkyDrive and Osaka Metro plan to launch services in the Morinomiya area of the city by around 2028, before working to gradually expand operations through 2030 and beyond.
In August 2024, SkyDrive and Osaka Metro signed an agreement to jointly explore the commercialization of eVTOL services in Osaka in the years following the Osaka World Expo 2025.
Osaka Metro established an eVTOL Promotion Office and the two companies have worked together to assess market demand, potential takeoff and landing locations and other factors affecting the commercial feasibility of an eVTOL business.
These efforts culminated in the unveiling of the planned Osaka Diamond Routes which form a core part of the initial concept for future eVTOL operations.
SkyDrive and Osaka Metro will continue to collaborate closely with the government, Osaka Prefecture and the Osaka City authorities, as well as other relevant organizations and business partners, to bring these commercial services to market.
Key areas of focus include finalizing vertiport locations and completing the further studies required to establish flight routes.
SkyDrive and Osaka Metro also plan to roll out a phased expansion of these services, first into the surrounding suburbs and into the greater Kansai region.
