Japan’s Advanced Air Mobility future

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Japan’s Advanced Air Mobility future

In June this year manufacturers, service providers, regulatory bodies and transport experts came together just outside of Tokyo, Japan, to discuss the future of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM).

The inaugural International Advanced Air Mobility Expo provided a space to explore challenges and opportunities, bring together members of the supply chain and examine the infrastructure that will one day support this exciting emerging market.

All eyes on APAC

The Asia-Pacific region itself could account for more than half of all operated electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and over 40% of global revenue within the market by the middle of the century, according to a report conducted by Rolls-Royce and Roland Berger. 82,500 AAM aircraft could be in operation in the APAC region by 2050, generating an estimated $36.9 billion of service revenue.

In Japan alone, this is in part due to the Government’s commitment to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, alongside its pledge to promote the development of innovative technologies that enable Japan to contribute to the reduction in accumulated atmospheric CO2 globally to “Beyond Zero”.

Delivering mobility to densely populated areas

The urban geographies of cities like Tokyo lend themselves to the promise of AAM solutions such as eVTOL, air taxis and intracity flights. While easing the burden on heavily congested ground-based networks, they can transport passengers much more quickly, connecting them with nearby commuter towns or tourist spots that may have previously required circumnavigating bodies of water.

Vitally, hybrid- and all-electric aircraft for commuter transport and e-commerce logistics could significantly improve air quality and give the streets back to pedestrians and cyclists. In the years to come, cities like Tokyo may act as pioneering examples of how the AAM ecosystem can deliver interesting solutions.

For Susumu Kaminaga, President and Head of Business Development of Rolls-Royce Japan, the International Advanced Air Mobility Expo was an opportunity to understand how the region will be transformed in years to come.

Where you have highly saturated transport systems and island networks to navigate, advanced air mobility provides some really interesting opportunities for passengers to travel more freely. Alongside the hybrid and all-electric aircraft, there was a lot of interest in the infrastructure needed to charge and operate it. These are all areas where Rolls-Royce is already working to provide solutions.”

Leading by example

In countries like Norway, where there is similar demand for lower and zero-carbon emission air transport, we’re working with local airframers and carriers to develop and deliver our own all-electric passenger aircraft.

“For our partners, Rolls-Royce offers decades of knowledge and expertise in this space. We have developed a modular and scalable portfolio of components across propulsion, energy storage, electrical systems, and battery management, able to power all-electric and hybrid-electric applications” explains Kaminaga.

Since delivering the world’s fastest electrically powered, zero-emissions aircraft, we’ve continued to build upon these capabilities to push the boundaries of power and propulsion for the Regional and Urban Air Mobility markets. Our electrical powertrain will soon power Vertical Aerospace’s in-development VX4 eVTOL.

We’re also developing the technologies to take hybrid-electric and all-electric aircraft further using sustainable aviation fuels and hydrogen combustion when it becomes commercially available. By developing turbogenerator capabilities to manage the distribution of power onboard an aircraft, effectively enabling it to switch power sources after take-off and before landing, we can even begin to deliver extended flight range. Our energy storage systems will also enable zero emissions flights of over 100 miles on a single charge.

Uniquely positioned to take Japan forward

For decades, Rolls-Royce Japan has worked with Japanese air transport industry leaders and research institutions to develop and enhance our engine technologies.

“For our partners in Japan, we’re in a unique position to enable them to accelerate new AAM technologies thanks to our long heritage in aviation and proven capabilities when it comes to safety and certification,” continues Kaminaga.

“Our extensive flight-testing and demonstrator projects have provided us with years of knowledge to ensure not only the safest possible flight, but the most fuel-efficient. We believe that by combining this expertise with highly advanced, local materials and by working with other local experts, we can not only push forward the energy transition but deliver a host of environmental, economic and educational benefits.”

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