What's Happening?
ANA Holdings has announced plans to launch commercial air taxi services across Japan starting in 2027, in collaboration with Joby Aviation, a U.S.-based electric air taxi developer. The initiative will deploy over 100 Joby S4 eVTOL aircraft, initially serving metropolitan Tokyo and later expanding to regions like Kansai and Chubu. ANA aims to offer a user-friendly pricing model and reservation system, promising significant reductions in travel time, such as a 15-minute air taxi ride from central Tokyo to Narita airport. Demonstration flights are planned for the 2025 World Expo in Osaka.
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Why It's Important?
The introduction of air taxi services by ANA Holdings represents a significant advancement in urban mobility and transportation technology. This initiative could transform travel within Japan, offering faster and potentially more efficient alternatives to traditional ground transportation. The collaboration with Joby Aviation highlights the growing interest in electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, which could lead to reduced carbon emissions and congestion in urban areas. The development of necessary infrastructure, such as vertiports, and collaboration with government and private sectors, underscores the potential for widespread adoption and integration of air taxis into daily life.
What's Next?
ANA Holdings and Joby Aviation plan to accelerate the development of the ecosystem required for air taxi services, including vertiports, pilot training programs, and aircraft maintenance support. They will work closely with national and local governments, as well as private sector companies, to ensure successful implementation. The acquisition of Blade Air Mobility’s passenger-transportation brokering and marketing business by Joby for at least $90 million further supports the expansion of air taxi services.
