The proposed eVTOL routes connect four locations in Osaka: Shin-Osaka/Umeda, Morinomiya, Tennoji/Abeno, and the Osaka Bay Area. Market research has already identified these are-as as critical hubs for the city’s future mobility network. SkyDrive and Osaka Metro plan to launch services in the Morinomiya area by around 2028, before working to gradually expand operations through 2030 and beyond.
SkyDrive is developing a lightweight, three-seater eVTOL aircraft that it hopes will play a key role in the coming urban transport revolution.
Osaka Metro operates eight subway lines and the New Tram, an automated, driverless tram system. Each day, approximately 2.4 million passengers rely on the Osaka Metro rapid transit network. The company is also advancing an urban Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) initiative called e METRO, which integrates multiple modes of transportation – including subways, buses, and taxis—to make Osaka a more convenient and connected city.
In August 2024, SkyDrive and Osaka Metro signed an agreement to jointly explore the commercialisation of eVTOL services in Osaka in the years following the Osaka World Expo 2025. To pursue this goal, Osaka Metro established an "eVTOL Promotion Office" under the direct supervision of its president in October 2024. The two companies have worked together to as-sess market demand, potential take-off and landing locations, and other factors affecting the commercial feasibility of an eVTOL business. These efforts culminated in the unveiling of the Osaka Diamond Routes, which form a core part of the initial concept for future eVTOL operations.
