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Japan aviation news

SkyDrive and Osaka Metro sign agreement towards social implementation of eVTOL after the EXPO 2025

SkyDrive Inc.has signed an agreement with Osaka Metro to study the feasibility of using eVTOL in the Osaka area after the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan. In addition, Osaka Metro invested in SkyDrive. SkyDrive's mission is "taking the lead in the once-in-a-century mobility revolution," and its vision is to create a future where everyone uses eVTOLs for daily transportation in Ja...

Eve Air Mobility and AirX sign LOI for up to 50 eVTOLs, service support & urban ATM software

Eve Air Mobility has signed a LOI with Japan largest public helicopter air charter service AirX for up to 10 firm and up to 40 optional eVTOL aircraft. The order will support the continued development and scaling of innovative transportation operations in Japan. Asia-Pacific region is an important market for Eve Air Mobility. The company continues to build diverse relationships...

Japan Coast Guard adds three H225s

Japan Coast Guard placed an additional order for three H225 helicopters, taking its total H225 fleet up to 18. The largest Super Puma operator in Japan received three H225s in December 2023 and one in February 2024 for its growing fleet. The new helicopters will support territorial coastal activities, maritime law enforcement, as well as disaster relief missions in the country. Jean-Luc Alfonsi...

Wingcopter and ITOCHU start type certification process for Wingcopter 198 in Japan

With the support of ITOCHU Corporation, Wingcopter has applied and received acceptance for opening the type certification process of its Wingcopter 198 delivery drone in Japan. This marks the first time a foreign company’s drone and the first time a fixed-wing drone has been accepted under the unmanned aircraft class-1 type certification by the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau of the Ministry of...

AutoFlight delivers first electric air taxi to customer in Japan

AutoFlight officially delivered its first Prosperity aircraft to a customer in Japan, marking the world’s inaugural delivery of a civilian ton-class eVTOL aircraft. The five-seater Prosperity aircraft was handed over to the customer, a pioneering Advanced Air Mobility operator in Japan. The operator, to be identified in due course, is currently developing plans...

EHang announces Japan first UAM center in Tsukuba

 EHang  announced that Japan' first UAM Center has been established in Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture. This state-of-the-art facility serves as a demonstration flight site, ground infrastructure, and maintenance base for EHang eVTOL aircraft in the region, including EH216-S. This UAM center is a milestone in Japan's advanced air mobility industry. Tezuka Kiwam...

Advancing eVTOL operations in Japan - Airbus and Hiratagakuen evaluate a multi-mission use of CityAirbus NextGen

With recent completion of CityAirbus NextGen assembly, Airbus’ advanced air mobility teams are focused on putting together the major components that make up the eVTOL prototype, gearing up for its first flight later this year. In addition to reaching this major milestone, the teams continue to work on the development of the entire ecosystem, which will be necessary to operate CityAirbus...

Volocopter completes test flights over Osaka and Amagasaki

From 7 to 13 december Volocopter successfully conducted a multi-day flight test campaign with a crewed 2X aircraft in the Japanese cities of Osaka and Amagasaki. It is the completion of the first steps of local flight testing to acclimate the crew, communications tools, and flight test procedures in preparation for the 2025 World Exposition, Osaka Kansai EXPO. The 500-day countdown to th...

Joby, ANA Holdings Partner with Nomura Real Estate Development for vertiports in Japan

Joby Aviation has partnered with ANA Holdings and Nomura Real Estate Development on the development of take-off and landing infrastructure, known as vertiports, to support the commercialization of its electric air taxi service across Japan. Three companies plan to jointly explore the design, location, operation, and financing of vertiport locations that will serve as the backbone of future co...

VINCI Airports inaugurated renovated International Terminal at Kansai International Airport

On December 5th, VINCI Airports, operating Kansai Airports since 2016 in partnership with the Japanese company Orix, inaugurated the renovated international terminal of Kansai International Airport. This major renovation is designed to enhance the passenger experience as well as to increase the surface dedicated to international travel. The project serves multiple purposes. It allows to incre...

SkyDrive selected for innovation grant worth up to 12.4 billion yen by Japanese government

SkyDrive has been chosen by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry for the ”Next-generation Air Mobility Field" of the Small and Medium Enterprise Innovation Promotion Project. SkyDrive has been granted approximately 12.4 billion yen which will support the development of innovative technologies aimed at enhancing future social implementation, including reducing traffic congest...

JAL Group launched ‘Sustainable Challenge Flights’ during the UN SDG summit period

JAL Group announced another challenge towards a sustainable future, “Sustainable Challenge Flights” on the JL6 flights from Tokyo (Haneda) to New York, from September 14th to 20th, under the slogan “A sustainable future together”. This is the second phase of our sustainable challenge flights following the successful Tokyo (Haneda) to Okinawa (Naha) charter flight last Novem...