Air taxi vertiport developer and operator Skyports has signed an MoU with Japan's largest car park and car sharing operator Park24 to explore the development and integration of vertiport infrastructure of advanced air mobility (AAM) into Park24's parking and car sharing network. The MoU also involves general insurance company Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance and Kanematsu Corporation.

Skyports head of APAC Yun-Yuan Tay says: “Skyports is proud to partner with Park24, Kanematsu Group and Aioi Nissay Dowa to contribute our expertise in vertiport design, development and operations, and bring AAM a step closer for the Japanese people. The partnership will enable us to leverage Park24's extensive portfolio of facilities for vertiport development to unlock value for Park24's customers, partners and the users in surrounding communities. We look forward to playing a part in this first critical step in enhancing mobility services with our partners, as we work collectively to accelerate the development and adoption of AAM in Japan.”

Aioi Nissay Dowa provides and arranges insurance for ground infrastructure and related air mobility services and aims to develop a mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) that seamlessly integrates air and land. Since April 2020, Kanematsu and Skyports have worked in close collaboration to develop AAM operations and infrastructure in Japan. Kanematsu provides essential on-ground expertise and networks in support of Skyports' continued work in growing Japan's AAM capabilities. The Japanese conglomerate is also an investor in Skyports.

Senior managing executive officer Mitsuru Yamaguchi says: “This partnership is a valuable first step in building the ground infrastructure that will be indispensable for eVTOL aircraft, which are expected to become a new form of mobility. We are committed to the security and safety of our customers who use eVTOLs and vertiports, to understanding their needs and developing new services, and to solving social issues such as future mobility services and a carbon-neutral society through the spread and development of flying cars. We hope to contribute to the realisation of the air mobility revolution through synergies generated by cooperation with our partners.”

Kanematsu senior executive officer and chief officer, motor vehicles and aerospace division Ryoichi Kidokoro says: “As the Japanese partner of Skyports we have been actively working with the company to explore the business opportunities of AAM in Japan based on joint-marketing and related activities since 2020. Stakeholder partnership is one of the most important milestones for us. In this context, we are very happy to launch this collaboration among the four parties based on the broad expertise in mobility of each party with AAM.”

Under the MoU, the parties will conduct joint investigative work, including feasibility assessments, in the Kansai region, particularly in Osaka, and in other locations, to establish which of Park24's car parks are suitable for vertiport infrastructure development. The vertiports will serve as take off and landing nodes for eVTOL passenger aircraft while also doubling up as dedicated charging sites.

Park24 is a household name in Japan, adopting a technology-first approach to deliver greater convenience, comfort and mobility services for its customers. Aside from car park and ride sharing services, the group also provides a comprehensive suite of offerings including payment services, road assistance services and financial planning services. Its partnership with Skyports serves as the next step in enabling the seamless integration of AAM into its customer-centric philosophy and operations.

Park24 director and senior executive corporate officer Kenichi Sasaki adds: “The brand concept of Times, Park24's brand for services such as parking facilities and car sharing etc, is 'mobility link'. By connecting every means of mobility seamlessly, Times will link people, the mobility users and the local communities, transforming those places into attractive destinations. We have high expectations that the vertiport business will become an indispensable business for our brand concept of mobility link.”

In addition, the participating companies will assess the potential to establish a joint business plan for the development and operation of vertiport infrastructure as well as explore the business case for first and last mile car sharing services for AAM operators.