Local authorities in Osaka, SkyDrive, Osaka Metro, Kansai Electric Power, and other partners launch a joint feasibility study for intra-city mobility under the Cabinet Office's Super City Initiative

Building on its successful demonstration flights at the Expo 2025 Osaka, SkyDrive Inc. (“SkyDrive”), a leading Japanese compact eVTOL (*1) developer, announced it will launch a feasibility study to repurpose existing rooftop emergency landing sites in Osaka City as eVTOL vertiports. This project, part of the Cabinet Office's Super City Initiative, will be conducted with collaborating partners including Chodai Co. Ltd., Kansai Electric Power Co. Inc., and Organization of Airport Facilitation.

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Conceptual image of a rooftop eVTOL vertiport

Unlike the global eVTOL market's primary focus on inter-city transport between major airports and suburban heliports, SkyDrive aims to make daily intra-city travel accessible using compact, quiet, and agile aircraft. This initiative represents a major milestone toward establishing eVTOLs as a practical, everyday transit option in central Osaka.

Key Project Activities

The project will conduct a phased evaluation to determine the viability and prospects of repurposing existing building rooftop emergency landing zones in Osaka City into operational vertiports for eVTOL aircraft, focusing on the following core areas:

• Verification of Surrounding Airspace and Obstacle Limitation Surfaces
  The study involves evaluating high-rise structures in Osaka City that feature established emergency landing zones (identified by an "H" symbol). By utilizing airspace maps, the project will categorize and examine flight operations by district and confirm compliance with Civil Aeronautics Act standards.

• Wind and Noise Surveys Considering the Impact of Surrounding Buildings
  The project will analyze locations where building-induced winds occur to clarify safe weather and operational requirements. Additionally, it will simulate noise levels during takeoff, landing and flight.

• Feasibility Study for Repurposing into Alternate eVTOL Vertiports
  To evaluate the feasibility of establishing alternate vertiports for eVTOLs, the survey will assess floor load capacities to withstand aircraft landings, map out passenger movement flows during flight diversions, and establish logistics for transporting aircraft in cases of mechanical failure. Additionally, it will evaluate the feasibility of installing charging infrastructure, determine necessary upgrades or new installations for power receiving and transforming equipment, and calculate estimated project costs.

• Discussions Toward Formulating Coexistence Rules with Relevant Authorities
  SkyDrive and its partners will consult with relevant organizations, including the Osaka Municipal Fire Department, to draft emergency scenarios and coexistence rules that balance the original purpose of "disaster response and lifesaving operations" with "ensuring safety in the daily operation of eVTOL."

Structure and Roles

Background and Objective

Following their collaboration at the Expo 2025 Osaka (*3), SkyDrive and Osaka Metro are working toward the commercial launch of eVTOL services by approximately 2028 within Osaka Prefecture and Osaka City, areas recognized by the Cabinet Office as "Super City National Strategic Special Zones" (*4) for their commitment to an "optimally mobile society" through advanced technology. A significant obstacle to the widespread adoption of this next-generation mobility is the scarcity of vertiport hubs. Establishing new takeoff and landing sites from the ground up is particularly impractical in dense urban centers where available open space is severely limited.

Currently, Osaka City contains 146 rooftop "emergency landing sites" (marked with an H), primarily on buildings over 100 meters tall as required by local fire safety regulations. While these sites constitute an established infrastructure network — complete with reinforced flooring, fire suppression systems, and lighting — their utilization is presently limited to emergency disaster relief. These valuable assets remain exclusively for emergency use because securing commercial passenger transport permits for their use as alternate vertiports remains a significant regulatory challenge.

This initiative explores the feasibility of repurposing Osaka City's rooftop "emergency landing sites" into alternate vertiports. By serving as backup landing facilities in unforeseen circumstances — such as when an aircraft cannot reach its intended destination — these sites offer critical support for the commercial rollout of eVTOL operations. This initiative leverages the National Strategic Special Zone framework to push forward technical verifications and operational framework developments. By addressing key urban constraints — namely high construction costs and scarce land — we aim to expedite the implementation of a secure urban air network and accelerate the broader adoption of eVTOL technology.

Future Outlook

The 146 existing rooftop emergency helipads across Osaka City were designed exclusively for disaster response, unlike most previous eVTOL hub projects that centered on constructing new infrastructure. Consequently, comprehensive operational guidelines and targeted regulatory frameworks for converting these sites into commercial vertiports are still being developed.

A central element of this initiative combines desktop research with direct on-site building assessments. This dual approach provides the concrete operational and safety data required to obtain regulatory clearances. Ultimately, the insights gained will inform future vertiport construction standards. By adapting this methodology to other regions with comparable needs, we seek to accelerate the broader integration of next-generation mobility into daily life.

Editor’s Notes:

(*1) eVTOL is an abbreviation for electric vertical takeoff and landing. As the name suggests, eVTOL aircraft can take off and land without a runway. eVTOLs are powered by electricity and incorporate advanced, automatic, flight control technology.

(*2) Announcement of Selection Results for the FY2026 Survey and Demonstration Project for Advanced Services and Regulatory Reform in Super Cities and Special Zones (Japanese)
https://www.chisou.go.jp/tiiki/kokusentoc/supercity/supercity_260529_saitakukekka.html

(*3) Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai with Osaka Metro / Osaka Government related press releases include:
https://skydrive.co.jp/en/news/13429/
https://skydrive.co.jp/en/news/14063/
https://skydrive.co.jp/en/news/14888/
https://skydrive.co.jp/en/news/15284/
https://skydrive.co.jp/en/news/15972/
https://skydrive.co.jp/en/news/16292/

(*4) Super City National Strategic Special Zones
https://www.chisou.go.jp/tiiki/kokusentoc/index.html (Japanese)
https://www.chisou.go.jp/tiiki/kokusentoc/english/index.html (English)

About SkyDrive Inc.

SkyDrive is a Japanese compact eVTOL company aiming "to take the lead in the once-in-a-century mobility revolution." The company began testing eVTOL prototypes in 2014 prior to official incorporation in 2018. Under its future vision for urban transportation, flying in eVTOLs will become a regular part of city life. In 2019, SkyDrive became the first company to fly a crewed eVTOL in Japan. In 2025, the company successfully showcased SKYDRIVE, the company's first commercial eVTOL product, with demonstration flights at the Osaka Expo witnessed by thousands of visitors over a one-month period. SkyDrive began production of SKYDRIVE in March 2024 at a plant owned by Suzuki Motor Corporation, SkyDrive's official production partner. SkyDrive has been working with civil aviation authorities in Japan and the U.S. to obtain certification for SKYDRIVE, with the aim of launching the aircraft into service in 2028. SkyDrive is headquartered in Toyota, Aichi Prefecture and led by CEO Tomohiro Fukuzawa, an engineer and entrepreneur.

For more information, please visit: https://skydrive.co.jp/en/

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