Akihabara News (Tokyo) — Joby Aviation, ANA Holdings, and Nomura Real Estate Development have entered into a collaborative partnership to establish infrastructure for electric air taxi services in Japan.
Joby Aviation, a key player in the development of all-electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, will work alongside ANA and Nomura, one of Japan’s leading real estate developers, to create vertiports, crucial for the deployment of Joby’s electric air taxi service.
The partnership will focus on jointly exploring the design, location, operation, and financing of vertiports, initially targeting metropolitan areas like Tokyo and expanding to various urban areas in Japan. Joby, serving as a technical advisor to the Tokyo Bay eSG Project, will contribute to demonstrating multi-modal mobility solutions, including a floating landing port in the Tokyo Bay.
The collaboration extends beyond infrastructure development, with the companies actively engaging local stakeholders to communicate the technology’s benefits and foster community acceptance of air taxi services.
This collaboration builds upon Joby and ANA’s 2022 partnership to introduce electric air taxi services in Japan. Nomura will add further depth to the initiative.
Joby’s proactive regulatory approach includes applying for validation of its Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) type certification last year, collaborating closely with the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) to prepare for commercial operations in Japan.
Joby’s eVTOL aircraft can carry a pilot and four passengers at speeds of up to 320 kilometers per hour, offering high-speed mobility with reduced noise compared to helicopters and zero in-flight emissions.
As the three companies collaborate to shape the future of air travel in Japan, their involvement in Japan’s Public-Private Conference for Future Air Mobility reflects their broader commitment to advancing aerial ridesharing adoption in the country.
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