SkyDrive to Showcase New Aircraft at Expo; Public Experiences Begin Mid-Apri
A New Mobility Hub Opens in Osaka
All images courtesy SkyDrive.
On March 28, 2025, Osaka Metro officially opened the OSAKAKO Vertiport, a new takeoff and landing site for electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOLs). The vertiport, located at Chuo Pier in Osaka’s Minato Ward, was completed in time for Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai.
SkyDrive, a Japanese company developing eVTOL aircraft, will use the facility for demonstration flights during the Expo. A ceremony marking the opening of the vertiport featured key officials, including Osaka Metro President Hideaki Kawai and SkyDrive CEO Tomohiro Fukuzawa.
The new vertiport reflects Osaka Metro’s efforts to expand mobility options in the city. Through its “e METRO” program, the company is working to integrate new transportation methods, including eVTOL flights, into urban travel.
SkyDrive and Osaka Metro Collaborate on Future Mobility
SkyDrive’s eVTOL aircraft, named “SKYDRIVE,” will fly demonstration routes between the Expo’s internal vertiport and the OSAKAKO Vertiport. These flights are part of a broader effort to introduce air mobility to the public and explore how eVTOLs can enhance urban transport.
SkyDrive CEO Tomohiro Fukuzawa noted the importance of this new step: “This is a milestone in our journey to bring urban air mobility closer to everyday life.”
In August 2024, Osaka Metro and SkyDrive signed a partnership agreement to support this shared goal. The City of Osaka selected Osaka Metro to develop and operate the vertiport following a competitive public bid in January 2024.
Facility Details and Design
The OSAKAKO Vertiport covers approximately 12,000 square meters. It includes a hangar for aircraft storage and maintenance, a passenger area for check-in and boarding, and a takeoff and landing pad. The site also functions as a mobility hub, linking eVTOL travel with other transport services like shared bicycles and on-demand buses.
The passenger facility features a simulation of the boarding process, complete with facial recognition check-in and a full-size mock-up of the SKYDRIVE aircraft.
Osaka Metro hopes the new facility will help the public understand the term “vertiport” and the concept of eVTOL travel.
“Through the Expo 2025 program, Osaka Metro hopes to promote wider recognition of the word ‘vertiport’ as a term for describing an eVTOL takeoff and landing site,” said the company.
Public Events Begin in April
Starting in mid-April 2025, the OSAKAKO Vertiport will host events open to the public. These will include displays on eVTOL development and interactive experiences. Visitors can try out the boarding simulation and learn more about how eVTOLs work. Reservations will be available through Osaka Metro’s official website.
Osaka Metro also plans to tie eVTOL-related activities to other events in the region. These outreach efforts aim to introduce the new technology to a wider audience.
More information about the events can be found at:
https://advanced-air-mobility.osakametro.co.jp/
About the Partners
Osaka Metro operates nine subway lines and the New Tram in central Osaka. The company focuses on providing safe and efficient transport while supporting the city’s growth as an international destination.
SkyDrive, headquartered in Toyota, Aichi Prefecture, began eVTOL development in 2014 and officially formed in 2018. The company aims “to take the lead in the once-in-a-century mobility revolution” and works with aviation authorities in Japan and the US to certify its aircraft. SkyDrive began production of its SKYDRIVE model in 2024 in partnership with Suzuki Motor Corporation.
For more about Osaka Metro: https://www.osakametro.co.jp/en/
For more about SkyDrive: https://en.skydrive2020.com/
Read more:
- SkyDrive Secures Certification Basis for eVTOL from Japan Civil Aviation Bureau
- SkyDrive and Osaka Metro Announce eVTOL Plans for Osaka
- SkyDrive and SAI Flight Collaborate on Electric Air Taxi Routes in South Carolina
Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.
For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam.
TWITTER:@spaldingbarker
Subscribe to DroneLife here.
Leave a Reply