FutureFlight
Japan Airlines Teams with Volocopter to Prepare for Launch of eVTOL Air Taxi Operations
The two companies believe they can begin commercial urban air mobility services by September 2023.
Volocopter VoloCity flies in Singapore
In October 2019, Volocopter made a public flight demonstration of its VoloCity aircraft in Singapore, which is one of several Asian cities the manufacturer views as a potential early adopter of urban air mobility services. [Photo: Volocopter]

Japan Airlines (JAL) and eVTOL aircraft developer Volocopter are to jointly promote the development of urban air mobility services for passengers and goods in Japan. The cooperation agreement signed on September 29 builds on the investment that the Japan Airlines Innovation Fund made in the German company in February 2020.

JAL and Volocopter will jointly approach several of the largest Japanese cities and prefectures as part of a plan to establish local partnerships to support operations with the VoloCity and a freight-carrying version called the VoloDrone. The partners say they expect to achieve a commercial launch within the next three years, with the VoloCity set to complete type certification with the European Aviation Safety Agency by early 2023.