Skyports to develop vertical take-off, landing pads on parking lots

It is partnering with Japan's largest parking lot and car-sharing operator.

Skyports, a developer of take-off and landing pads for air taxis, is partnering with Japan’s largest parking lot and car-sharing operator, PARK 24 Co., to explore the development of these vertiports on parking lots and car-sharing sites.

Other participants in the agreement include Japanese general insurance provider Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance Co., which provides insurance for ground infrastructure and other services, and Kanematsu Corp., a sogo shosha (Japanese general trading company) that has been collaborating with Skyports since April 2020.

The four partners will investigate and conduct feasibility studies to determine which PARK 24 parking lots are suited for vertiport service, such as take-off and landing sites and charging stations for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) passenger craft. The group will focus on Japan’s Kansai region, particularly Osaka, as well as other areas in the country.

“The partnership will enable us to leverage PARK24’s extensive portfolio of facilities for vertiport development,” Skyports head of APAC Yun-Yuan Tay said. “We look forward to playing a part in this first critical step in enhancing mobility services with our partners ... to accelerate the development and adoption of AAM (advanced air mobility) in Japan.” 

Kanematsu is a 130-year-old Japanese conglomerate with business dealings in electronics, food, steel, motor vehicles and aerospace, among other areas. An early investor in Skyports, Kanematsu has been providing on-ground expertise and networks in Japan as the U.K.-based vertiports developer seeks business opportunities there.

The four-way agreement represents a major milestone for Kanematsu, according to senior executive officer for motor vehicles and aerospace Ryoichi Kidokoro. “Based on this partnership, we will accelerate the business development of vertiport infrastructure in Japan and contribute to the realization of ‘air mobility revolution.‘"

This article first appeared in sister publication IoT World Today .