Making the Osaka Diamond Shine

Akihabara News — SkyDrive Inc., a leading Japanese manufacturer of electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft, and Osaka Metro have announced a strategic plan for the “Osaka Diamond Routes.” This initiative aims to connect four pivotal destinations in Osaka—Shin-Osaka/Umeda, Morinomiya, Tennoji/Abeno, and the Osaka Bay Area—with eVTOL services.

Market research has pinpointed these areas as essential for the city’s future mobility network. The rollout is planned to begin in the Morinomiya area by around 2028, with expansion expected through 2030 and beyond.

SkyDrive is developing a lightweight, three-seater eVTOL aircraft to spearhead this urban transport revolution, with aspirations to normalize eVTOL flights within city life. Meanwhile, Osaka Metro, which operates eight subway lines and an automated, driverless tram system, sees daily usage by about 2.4 million passengers, and is actively promoting its “e METRO” Mobility-as-a-Service initiative to enhance city connectivity.

The collaboration between SkyDrive and Osaka Metro was solidified in August 2024 with an agreement to explore commercial eVTOL services post the Osaka World Expo 2025. Following this, Osaka Metro established an “eVTOL Promotion Office” in October 2024 to further this goal. Their joint efforts have included market analysis, vertiport location scouting, and feasibility assessments, leading to today’s announcement of the “Osaka Diamond Routes.”

These routes are designed not only for efficient travel but also to offer aerial sightseeing, leveraging Osaka’s scenic city views and easy access to key tourist spots, aiming to provide passengers with both privacy and comfort during flights.

Looking ahead, both companies expect to closely with local and regional governments, as well as other partners, to refine vertiport locations and finalize flight routes. The phased expansion will start in the suburbs of Osaka, eventually reaching the broader Kansai region, with the objective of enhancing Osaka’s status as a hub for innovation and tourism through improved air mobility.

SkyDrive, headquartered in Toyota, Aichi Prefecture, has been pioneering in the eVTOL sector since its inception in 2018, with significant steps like flying the first crewed eVTOL in Japan in 2019 and beginning production with Suzuki Motor Corporation in March 2024.

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