Skyports plans to take flying taxi terminals to Japan, Australia

[SINGAPORE] Skyports, the UK-based company that operates infrastructure for flying taxis and other urban aviation devices, is expanding into Japan and Australia as it looks to build terminals for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

Skyports is working with partners Kanematsu in Japan and Goodman Group in Australia, with a eye to starting commercial flights as early as 2025, according to Yun Yuan Tay, head of Skyports in Asia-Pacific. The company also expects to announce the site of an eVTOL terminal, which will be used by Volocopter GmbH, in Singapore this year, he said.

"There's a lot of momentum in the market," Tay said on Thursday (Mar 31) in Singapore. "If you look at the amount of capital that has poured into the market, you're looking at more than US$7 billion in just the last year to various parts of the ecosystem."

Companies such as Volocopter and Embraer's Eve Urban Air Mobility unit are pushing to get their eVTOLs certified with aviation authorities and then start commercial services. The electric-powered aircraft will probably first be used to fly people to business centres from airports, and between cities.

Skyports last month raised US$23 million in a Series B funding round from investors including Kanematsu and Goodman. Kanematsu will take a seat on the board, along with by Ken Allen, the CEO of DHL eCommerce.

Skyports expects to start operating its first eVTOL terminal in Singapore in 2024 after Volocopter receives approval from authorities to fly its aircraft, Tay said.

It's also working with Volocopter, JTC and the Singapore Economic Development Board to explore ideas for Seletar Aerospace Park, an industrial park in Singapore catering to the aerospace industry. Possible developments include an air taxi terminal and pilot training centre. BLOOMBERG