TOYOTA, Japan. SkyDrive Inc. (“SkyDrive”), a leading eVTOL aircraft manufacturer based in Japan, and Kyushu Railway Company (“JR Kyushu”) have signed a comprehensive partnership agreement with the government of Oita prefecture to explore how the future provision of eVTOL services can improve the prefecture’s transportation infrastructure, providing economic benefits and improved travel convenience to local communities and businesses.
Operational Vision
SkyDrive and JR Kyushu anticipate launching, from around the year 2028, scenic flights over Beppu Bay, air taxi operations within Beppu City, and air taxi services connecting the Beppu and Yufuin resorts. From 2030 onward, both companies also envision further expanding these services to include flights connecting Yufuin, Kokonoe, Kusu, and the Oku-Hita area, along with air taxi services from Oita City to the Beppu and Yufuin area, and from Oita Airport to both Beppu and Oita City.
While the precise nature of future ticket pricing will depend on flight frequency and passenger occupancy, JR Kyushu and SkyDrive intend to provide eVTOL air taxi services at prices low enough to compete with conventional road-based taxis.
Future Plans
Under their partnership agreement, SkyDrive and JR Kyushu intend to survey potential takeoff and landing sites, evaluate profitability, and establish a framework for future flight operations, laying the groundwork for the provision of commercially viable eVTOL services with a target service launch date sometime around 2028.
