Japan Targets 2027 Launch for Commercial eVTOL Flights | Aviation International News

Regulations and Government

Japan Targets 2027 Launch for Commercial eVTOL Flights

Revised advanced air mobility roadmap outlines phased rollout

SkyDrive's SD-05 eVTOL conducted a demonstration flight over Tokyo in February 2026. — SkyDrive's three-seat SD-05 eVTOL conducted a demonstration flight over Tokyo in February 2026.

By Hanneke Weitering • Science & Technology Editor

April 6, 2026

Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism revised its advanced air mobility (AAM) roadmap in March, moving the target for first commercial eVTOL operations to 2027 or 2028. The country had positioned the 2025 World Expo in Osaka as the starting point for commercial eVTOL operations, but the flights that took place there were demonstrations, not passenger service.

Under Japan’s roadmap, commercial passengers services using eVTOL aircraft are expected to begin in select regions by 2027 or 2028. The plan then calls for the introduction of autonomous passenger transport and more advanced traffic management systems in the early 2030s, followed by broader integration of AAM into urban transportation networks in the 2040s.

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