SkyScape and Plana have teamed up to develop the first international eVTOL route in Asia, connecting Korea and Japan.
According to a press release:
SkyScape Co., Ltd., a Japanese Vertiport Development and Management Company (VDMC), has signed an MOU with Plana, a leading Korean manufacturer of hybrid eVTOL aircraft, to jointly develop the first operable eVTOL route between Japan and Korea. The agreement will see the two companies work together to lay the foundation for operations and necessary infrastructure to develop the first international route in Asia while at the same time working collaboratively to advance the Advanced Air Mobility industry in APAC as a whole.”
Plana’s hybrid aircraft allows for an extended operation range of up to 500km, plus reserves, says the company, and the utilization of this aircraft opens new opportunities for serviceable routes and access to previously unreachable locations compared to other eVTOL models.
SkyScapes multi-use vertiport infrastructure “allows for the support of eVTOL operations from its locations as well as a number of other integrated AAM systems,” says the press release. The team will begin with a Concept of Operations (ConOps) detailing operations between the two countries and the potential impact the route would have on communities within the target area. They will be looking at bringing in various stakeholders from both countries to contribute to the work and be involved in the ConOps.
