The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism published "Guidelines for Flying Car Landing Sites (Vertiports) - Functions and Classifications - Interim Summary."
This interim summary examines technical requirements and operational standards for vertiports, which are landing sites for flying cars (eVTOL: electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft) attracting attention as next-generation mobility, toward social implementation. Aiming for practical use at the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo, establishment of facility standards balancing safety and convenience is proceeding.
Vertiport classification divides into three categories according to installation location and function: urban type, suburban type, and disaster response type. Urban type is positioned for locations emphasizing accessibility such as rooftops of high-rise buildings or in front of stations, suburban type for locations assuming coordination with tourist destinations or medical facilities, and disaster response type as facilities with functions specialized for emergency material transport or personnel transport.
Technical requirements present detailed standards for takeoff/landing area size, charging facility specifications, weather observation systems, coordination with control systems, noise countermeasures, safety measures, etc. Particularly assuming urban operation, significantly reducing noise levels compared to existing heliports and efficient operation management through automated control systems are mentioned as important elements.
Operationally, comprehensive operational rules including pilot qualification requirements, maintenance systems, emergency response procedures, and user safety ensuring are being examined. Additionally, legal system development suitable for new mobility is proceeding in parallel while ensuring consistency with existing Aviation Law and Building Standards Law.
The article shows that comprehensive examination from infrastructure development to system design is proceeding toward realization of flying cars as innovative transportation means, with foundation building advancing for Japan to secure international competitiveness in next-generation mobility fields.