Japan has made aviation history by launching the world’s first flying taxi service in Osaka ahead of Expo 2025. The electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, developed by SkyDrive Inc., can carry two passengers and a pilot across urban areas, dramatically reducing commute times.
The project, supported by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, has been in testing since 2022. The flying taxis will initially operate between Osaka’s Kansai Airport and the Expo site, cutting a 40-minute road trip down to just 10 minutes.
SkyDrive CEO Tomohiro Fukuzawa stated, “Our goal is to make air mobility accessible and affordable, changing the way people travel within cities.”
This move positions Japan as a leader in next-generation mobility and could influence similar launches in cities like Dubai and Los Angeles in the near future.