Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan

by Shinichiro Tsuri

Background

2025 is a year with a big event, Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, which will be held for 184 days from April 13th to October 13th, 2025 in Yumeshima, Osaka. Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), which is the next-generation of air mobility expected to operate in the near future, is one of the hot topics of the expo, as a part of the Smart Mobility Expo in the Future Society Showcase Project Exhibition. Currently, four AAM operators are planning to conduct demonstration flights around the expo site in Yumeshima, and between two ports inside and outside the expo site. Although the plans of these operations are still in flux, in this article, I will introduce an overview of the planned AAM operations at the upcoming expo as of December 2024, when this article was drafted.

Planned Ports Image Source: Information added to a map compiled by the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan

Expected Operators

ANA HD / Joby Aviation

All Nippon Airways Holdings (a holding company of All Nippon Airways) and Joby Aviation (a U.S. electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer) are planning to operate Joby Aviation’s S4. This model is classified as a “vectored thrust” type, which has fixed wings and uses the same thrust mechanism for vertical takeoff/landing and cruising by changing the orientation of the thrust mechanism. Major specifications of the S4 are as follows:

Seating capacity: 5 (1 pilot and 4 passengers)
Maximum cruise speed: 322km/h

They plan to operate the S4 at the EXPO Vertiport based around the bay area in Yumeshima.

Joby Aviation’s S4 (Courtesy of Joby Aviation. (c) Joby Aero, Inc.)

Image Source: Website of Joby Aviation (Media Kit)

Soracle

Soracle Corporation, which is a joint venture of Sumitomo Corporation and Japan Airlines, is planning to operate Midnight from Archer Aviation (a U.S. eVTOL aircraft developer). This model is also a “vectored thrust” type eVTOL aircraft like Joby Aviation’s S4 above. Major specifications of Midnight are as follows:

Seating capacity: 5 (1 pilot and 4 passengers)
Payload: 454kg
Range: 161km (normally 32 ~ 80 km operation is expected)
Maximum cruise speed: 241km/h

They plan to operate Midnight between the EXPO Vertiport and the Osaka Heliport.

Archer Aviation’s Midnight at Public Exhibition

Photo Source: Shinichiro Tsuri

Marubeni

Marubeni Corporation is planning to operate the VX4 from Vertical Aerospace, which is a UK eVTOL aircraft developer (and also HEXA from LIFT Aircraft, which is a U.S. eVTOL aircraft developer). This model is also a “vectored thrust” type eVTOL aircraft like the two aforementioned models. Major specifications of the VX4 are as follows:

Seating capacity: 5 (1 pilot and 4 passengers)
Range: 161km
Maximum cruise speed: 241km/h

They plan to operate the VX4 between the EXPO Vertiport and Amagasaki Phoenix.

Vertical Aerospace’s VX4 ((c) Vertical Aerospace Ltd.)

Image Source: Website of Vertical Aerospace (Media Kit)

SkyDrive

SkyDrive (a Japanese eVTOL aircraft developer) is planning to operate its SKYDRIVE. This model is classified as a “multi-rotor” type, which does not have fixed wings and uses a thrust mechanism consisting of three or more rotors for vertical take-off and landing. Major specifications of SKYDRIVE are as follows:

Seating capacity: 3 (1 pilot and 2 passengers)
Maximum takeoff weight: 1,400kg
Range: Approx. 15km
Maximum cruise speed: 100km/h

They plan to operate SKYDRIVE between the EXPO Vertiport and Osaka Port, Central Jetty.

SkyDrive’s SKYDRIVE ((c) SkyDrive Inc.)

Image Source: Website of SkyDrive

Conclusion

While the AAMs mentioned above are still under development and in the process of type certification, the expected operators are advancing their efforts to carry out demonstration flights at the expo. I hope that the actualization of these flights will provide a significant opportunity to enhance the social acceptance of AAM, as well as yield best practices and lessons learned that can be shared internationally regarding AAM operations.