FutureFlight
AirMobility Agrees to Market Dufour's Aero 3 eVTOL In Japan
According to eVTOL aircraft "sales and services platform" AirMobility, Japan expects to see initial advanced air mobility operations as early as 2023.
Dufour Aerospace Aero
Dufour Aerospace has completed flight testing of the Aero 1 hybrid-electric eVTOL but is now working to develop a full-scale prototype for the larger Aero 3 model that it intends to bring to market. (Photo: Dufour Aerospace)

Dufour Aerospace this week signed an agreement to allow AirMobility to promote and distribute its Aero 3 eVTOL aircraft in Japan. The Tokyo-based company has an option to purchase an unspecified number of the vehicle, but the partners provided no further details on the terms of the agreement.

According to the “Public-Private Council for the Air Mobility Revolution” established by the Japanese government’s ministries of economy, trade, and industry, and land, infrastructure, transport, and tourism, the country aims to see initial eVTOL aircraft operations in 2023. Authorities also have set a more specific goal of establishing air taxi services for the 2025 Osaka Expo event.