Flying car, type certification in Japan Toyota-funded US company applies
This is the first time that a foreign-made flying car has applied for type certification in Japan (aircraft developed by Joby).
Joby Aviation (California), a U.S. start-up company involved in the development of flying cars invested by Toyota and others, said on the 18th that it applied to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism for a "type certificate" to prove the safety of the aircraft. Announced. This is the first application in Japan for a foreign-made flying car. In the future, the aircraft will be tested for safety and other factors, and if it is certified, commercial flights in Japan will gain momentum.
The aircraft Joby is developing is an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft called "eVTOL". It has a maximum speed of about 320 kilometers per hour and can fly continuously for a distance of over 240 kilometers. The time required from Kansai International Airport to Osaka Station, which takes about an hour by car, can be shortened to less than 15 minutes.
The type certification proves the safety of the aircraft, and if it is obtained, it will be recognized as a mass-produced aircraft. It may take several years to review the aircraft, including flight tests. Joby has already applied for type certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and is said to be the company closest to commercialization. In Japan, SkyDrive (Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture) has applied for type certification from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in 2021, but no domestic manufacturer has yet obtained it.
Toyota invested in Joby, which was established in 2009, in 2018 through its affiliated venture capital, and invested in it in 2020. We will send a person in charge and cooperate in cooperation with flying taxis and ground transportation in Japan. ANA Holdings also announced in February 2010 that it would form a business alliance with Joby and enter into the operation of flying taxis in Japan. Aiming for practical application at the 2025 International Exposition (Osaka, Kansai Expo).
The government will also strengthen cooperation with the United States in anticipation of the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) announced on the 18th that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with the FAA in order to cooperate in developing a system for flying cars.
The aircraft Joby is developing is an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft called "eVTOL". It has a maximum speed of about 320 kilometers per hour and can fly continuously for a distance of over 240 kilometers. The time required from Kansai International Airport to Osaka Station, which takes about an hour by car, can be shortened to less than 15 minutes.
