AssetID: 54629057
Headline: RAW VIDEO: Osaka Completes Revolutionary 'Vertiport'
Caption: Osaka’s revolutionary ‘vertiport’ for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft has been completed. The vertiport is set to serve the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, with Aichi-based company SkyDrive conducting demonstration flights as part of the Expo’s programme. A completion ceremony was held in collaboration with Osaka City to mark the occasion. SkyDrive’s eVTOL aircraft offers a new approach to aerial mobility, enabling fast and efficient short- to medium-distance travel. When combined with existing transport infrastructure, these aircraft are expected to provide greater versatility and convenience, as well as unique travel experiences that differ from conventional transport options such as buses and metro services. In January 2024, Osaka Metro was selected by the City of Osaka through an open bidding process to operate a vertiport that would serve the Expo venue in Osaka City’s Minato Ward. Osaka Metro entered into a business partnership with SkyDrive in August 2024. Following this selection, Osaka Metro developed the OSAKAKO Vertiport at Chuo Pier in Osaka Port. During Expo 2025, SkyDrive is scheduled to operate demonstration flights between the EXPO Vertiport—located within the Expo site—and the OSAKAKO Vertiport. The facility’s name, OSAKAKO Vertiport, is derived from Osaka Ko Station, the nearest metro station on the Chuo Line. Through the Expo 2025 programme, Osaka Metro hopes to increase awareness of the term “vertiport” as a reference to eVTOL take-off and landing sites. The Vertiport includes a hangar for eVTOL maintenance, refuelling, and storage, as well as a dedicated take-off and landing area. The passenger facility will also allow non-flying visitors to experience a simulated check-in and boarding process for a mock eVTOL flight, including facial recognition technology. Designed as a transport hub, the vertiport will also integrate eVTOL services with other mobility options such as on-demand buses and shared bicycles.
Keywords: SkyDrive, Osaka Metro, feature, photo, video, eVTOL, aircraft, technology, tech
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