Aerospace manufacturer Airbus has confirmed a new partnership with Japanese helicopter operator Hiratagakuen. Under the agreement, the two companies will work together to develop urban air mobility (UAM) services in the Kansai region.
Teams from the two companies will study and analyse the requirements and conditions necessary to launch a commercial air transport service with the CityAirbus NextGen, the electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developed by the European manufacturer.
Firstly, the joint project will generate a simulation of ideal routes to analyse different concepts of operations and survey the necessary equipment and infrastructure for the generation of an urban air mobility ecosystem with eVTOL aircraft in the region.
To achieve this goal, Airbus and Hiratagakuen will use an H135 helicopter (formerly known as Eurocopter EC135) to test navigation and communication technologies in urban environments.
“We are very pleased to conduct a demonstration flight in the Osaka-Kansai region with Airbus for the future of mobility”, said Mitsuhiro Hirata, Vice President of Hiratagakuen’s Aviation Operation Division. “We are aware that a revolution in air transportation is now approaching in the Osaka area, and we expect CityAirbus NextGen to play a central role in this revolution”, he added.
Balkiz Sarihan, Head of Urban Air Mobility Strategy Execution and Partnerships at Airbus, said: “We are honoured to further our long standing collaboration with Hiratagakuen by working on this exciting journey towards zero emission flights”. She also highlighted that the other company’s experience in commercial air operations and emergency medical services made it “an ideal partner for defining the operational framework for advanced air mobility with CityAirbus NextGen in Japan”.
Key features of the CityAirbus NextGen
On 21 September 2021, the company unveiled the CityAirbus NextGen as a prototype air vehicle designed to offer a new alternative in the emerging urban air mobility environment. The European manufacturer’s aim was to put a firm foot in this growing segment of the industry.
According to the company, the aircraft will have a range of up to 80 kilometres and a cruising speed of up to 120 kilometres per hour. Like other eVTOLs, its characteristics make it an ideal choice for transportation in urban areas. In addition, it will operate with sound levels below 65 decibels during overflight and below 70 decibels during landing.
Airbus noted that the CityAirbus NextGen meets the highest certification standards, holding the European Aviation Safety Agency’s enhanced EASA SC-VTOL category.
See also: Students from the University of Stuttgart present innovative eVTOL concept for aerial firefighting
