From Helicopters to Flying Cars

Akihabara News (Tokyo) — JR West Innovations and Nippon Travel Agency have announced a joint initiative aimed at increasing public acceptance of eVTOL air taxis through the creation of helicopter taxi services.

As an initial step, Nippon Travel Agency is offering a two-day program (November 11-12) of helicopter air taxi services between Osaka Yao Airport and Yumebutai on Awaji Island.

“Through this initiative, we will work to improve social recognition and acceptance so that ‘flying cars’ will become an important means of transportation in the future,” the two partners declared.

Tickets for the two-day program, which was first announced in early October, have already sold out. Initially it was not framed as being related to the development of eVTOL taxi services.

While noting that the 2025 World Expo will be a “milestone,” the partners say they are working on future services related to the tourism industry which may start with helicopters before transitioning to eVTOLs.

In early September, JR West Innovations, as part of the Mitsui & Co.-led consortium developing a platform for an air mobility integrated operations management system, received an advanced air mobility financial grant from the Osaka Prefectural Government.

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