ANA Holdings Inc said it will not offer a commercial flying taxi service at the 2025 World Exposition in Osaka, viewed as one of the highlights of the event.
Japan Airlines Co is also reconsidering its plan to provide air taxis at the expo, sources familiar with the matter said, meaning all four flying car operators that had planned commercial services at the event are unlikely to offer them.
ANA has found it difficult to obtain safety certification from authorities in time, it said. All four operators will still conduct demonstration flights, according to the companies.
Air taxis were expected to provide access to the event's venue on Yumeshima, an artificial island in Osaka Bay.
ANA has been working with Joby Aviation Inc to operate electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft developed by the U.S. startup, while JAL is preparing to use vehicles developed by Volocopter GmbH from Germany.
The other two operators, Japan-based flying car startup SkyDrive Inc and Japanese trading house Marubeni Corp, already said they would not operate commercial flights at the expo.
© KYODO
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Moonraker
It always seemed like a non-starter.
browny1
Wonder what the "authorization" problems were?
These vehicles - wrongly often touted as flying cars by media - have been developed and flown for years.
Essentially being variations of helicopters I'd thought they would have easily conveyed passengers on a designated route.
Maybe too many?