Skyports Infrastructure and ConOps Partners work to shape future landscape of Japanese Aerial Mobility

Skyports has joined forces with a consortium of industry pioneers to augment Japan’s advanced air mobility (AAM) framework, under the guidance of the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB). This collaboration marks a new chapter in the ConOps research, aiming to help shape the future of the AAM landscape in Japan.

The Concept of Operations (ConOps) serves as a goal for organizations considering entering the Japanese AAM arena. The foundational ConOps, unveiled in March, laid the groundwork for commercial eVTOL operations and scaling strategies throughout Japan. The forthcoming research phase is set to refine this document, integrating evolving global AAM trends and regulatory developments, while also incorporating broader stakeholder perspectives.

Skyports Infrastructure, a key player since the project’s launch in 2021, brings a wealth of knowledge in vertiport infrastructure crucial for Japan’s emerging eVTOL transport networks. Insights for the second ConOps iteration, expected in 2024, will draw on experiences from Skyports’ testing campaigns, including their London Heliport endeavors and trials at the Pontoise-Cormeilles Airfield in Paris, recently visited by JCAB officials.

The research outcomes and strategic recommendations in the ConOps are vital for the actualization of eVTOL services. The updated version will detail essential industry workstreams, schedules, and the pressing need for foundational infrastructure, alongside regulatory and procedural advancements.

Atsushi Okada, Japan Country Lead at Skyports Infrastructure, emphasizes the ConOps as a cornerstone for Japan’s AAM sector. He highlights the importance of public-private synergy in realizing this vision and notes the readiness for operational commencement.

Echoing the sentiment, David Rottblatt, Vice President at Eve Air Mobility, lauds the ongoing collaboration, underscoring its crucial role in the integration and regulation of eVTOL traffic management in Japan.

Why it’s important: This initiative stems from the Public-Private Committee for Advanced Air Mobility (PPC), a task force established by Japan’s METI and MLIT in 2018, aiming to amalgamate government and industry forces to navigate the next air mobility frontier. The cooperative alliance should help to streamline and increase the rate of progress for aerial mobility infrastructure developments.