In order to realize "Advanced Air Mobility", we must first establish systems and standards. The Future of Dreams, the Challenge of Realizing the Next Generation of Air Mobility

INTRODUCTION

The realization of " Advanced Air Mobility(AAM)", which was once thought to be a distant future event, is coming soon. Active demonstration experiments are being conducted overseas, initiatives by both the public and private sectors are progressing in Japan. Nippon Koei has also been making proposals and recommendations based on its own knowledge, including the “Public-Private Committee for Advanced Air Mobility” led by the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry, the "Osaka Round Table for the Implementation of a Revolution in Air Mobility Society" led by Osaka Prefecture, the Aviation Innovation Development Association (AIDA), and Doctor Helicopter. With the lifting of the ban on automated drone navigation and the Osaka Expo 2025 as a milestone, the beginning of air mobile navigation is just around the corner.

PROFILE

Senior Manager,
Global Aviation Dept., Port and Airport Division, Consulting Operations Headquarters, Nippon Koei Co., Ltd.

Yasushi Inoue

He has been engaged in the planning and design of the next generation air traffic management system for a major telecommunications company for about 12 years. He supported the development of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) concepts and international standards. He also led market research and strategic planning for new products, services, and businesses. In his current position, he has about eight years of experience and skills in the investigation and design of airports, airspace, aviation security, and control systems; he has experience in management and supervision of domestic and international government and private projects. He nurtures a wide network and good cooperative relationships in the industry, academia, and government, and leads the creation of new drone and air mobility businesses for the next generation. He is a member of the Public-Private Committee for Advanced Air Mobility and a member of the Osaka Round Table.
Airport Dept., Port and Airport Division, Consulting Operations Headquarters, Nippon Koei Co., Ltd.

Masayuki Yamagiwa

He has been engaged in domestic airport design and survey work for about 11 years. He has experience in airport infrastructure projects such as maintenance planning, facility and expansion project implementation design, and survey work as the engineer in charge at regional airports including Tokyo International Airport, Fukuoka Airport, and Naha Airport. He is a member of the Public-Private Committee for Advanced Air Mobility and a member of the Osaka Round Table.
Manager
Airport Dept., Port and Airport Division, Consulting Operations Headquarters, Nippon Koei Co., Ltd.

Takasuke Fujiu

He has been engaged in domestic airport design and survey work for about 13 years. In addition to survey and design work related to the development projects of the Tokyo International Airport and New Chitose Airport, he has a wide range of experience as a management engineer and engineer in charge of operations such as the revision of design methods and guidelines and operations related to the automation of vehicles in airport restricted areas.
International Environment Dept., Global Environment Division, Infrastructure Engineering Operations, Consulting Operations Headquarters, Nippon Koei Co., Ltd. (Based in Nippon Koei Bangladesh)

Shinji Tanaka

He moved from the Domestic Bridge Design Department to the Domestic Environment Department and was engaged in environmental surveys and environmental impact assessments. In 2016, he was transferred to the Overseas Environmental Technology Department and was in charge of overseas operations. He is seconded to Nippon Koei Bangladesh from July 2022. He is a member of the Public-Private Committee for Advanced Air Mobility.
Environment Dept., Global Environment Division, Infrastructure Engineering Operations, Consulting Operations Headquarters, Nippon Koei Co., Ltd.

Yoshie Tanaka

She has been engaged in environmental impact assessment for about 13 years. In addition to dealing mainly with the assessment of the Tokyo Metropolitan Ordinance, she has a wide range of experience as an engineer in charge of investigation work related to the decontamination project associated with the Great East Japan Earthquake, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games assessment, and environmental monitoring investigation work relating to the Tokyo International Airport re-expansion project. She is a member of the Public-Private Committee for Advanced Air Mobility.

*The department name, job title, and interview content were at the time of the interview.

STORY

We will work towards building an Advanced Air Mobility society by considering the needs of society as well as Nippon Koei's vision of the future.

−−−The completion of the aircraft does not mean that we will see a society where Advanced Air Mobility can operate. Countless technologies are required for the social implementation of drones and air mobility, such as airport civil engineering, control, systems, power, environment, traffic planning, and urban planning. Nippon Koei has been providing services related to the construction of social infrastructure for many years, not limited to airport engineering. We asked members of the Air Mobility Project, a public-private partnership working toward the realization of Advanced Air Mobility that will arrive in a few years, about the current progress.

Inoue

Right now, our goal is "Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan (Expo 2025)". In addition to sightseeing flights around the venue, " Advanced Air Mobility" will be implemented in the society as a transportation service connecting the venue with Kansai International Airport and Osaka City. Currently, Nippon Koei is working to ensure that specialized manufacturers can receive certification for the aircraft, and is making proposals and recommendations at the Public-Private Committee as a member of the group that is consolidating the systems and standards for flight operations, as well as the requirements for departure and landing sites.

Yamagiwa

For Advanced Air Mobility, using drone technology to create the aircraft is the realistic approach. Discussions about whether to fly vertically or at a slight angle are currently underway, and based on these, the airport department is in charge of proposing the take-off and landing sites necessary for Advanced Air Mobility. We will contribute to the arrival of a new era by utilizing the experience we have gained in the engineering of airports and heliports.

Tanaka (Shinji)

When undertaking a large-scale project, it is necessary to conduct an environmental assessment to evaluate the duration of the construction and the impact during the operation of the facility, and to take countermeasures. Environmental assessments are determined by business, such as dams, highways, and airports, but there is no such thing for Advanced Air Mobility yet. Based on its extensive experience in formulating and implementing environmental assessments, the Ministry of the Environment is also making proposals and recommendations in public-private consultations for this project. Currently, we are in the process of finalizing the outline.

Inoue

In the area of Advanced Air Mobility, overseas companies are ahead. However, Japan cannot afford to lose. Since there are various good examples overseas, I would like to actively refer to them. Since we have overseas offices, we have a lot of information about the progress of each country, which has already progressed to test flights and mock-ups. When we conducted a survey in Singapore in 2019, stakeholders from various countries and cities were engaged in heated discussions with high interest and that is the reason for us to participate in this business. We believe that there will be a great demand for this in Japan in the near future.
In addition, we believe that DX and digital twin, which are handled by another department of our company, will be linked in the near future. The ability to conduct trial and error in a virtual space is a big change from previous development methods. The era of testing in a virtual space using a production environment and specifications from the beginning, rather than the conventional method of repeating small tests over and over to gather results, will surely arrive. If that happens, there is a high possibility that potentially the way of creating systems and standards will change, so we are working on the business of Advanced Air Mobility in order to be a pioneer.

Aiming to realize "Advanced Air Mobility " with the responsibility and joy of being involved in a business that humans will experience for the first time.

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's vision of flying cars becoming a part of daily life
Image source：Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Website

−−−Creation of systems and standards essential for the realization of Advanced Air Mobility. In addition to airport and heliport engineering, Nippon Koei has in-house experts with the knowledge necessary for the realization of Advanced Air Mobility, including airport civil engineering, control, systems, power, environment, traffic planning, and urban planning. We approached the "passion" and "reward" of each engineer, who is often asked to provide their perspective as a specialist engineer at meetings and other venues.

Yamagiwa

If Advanced Air Mobility become a reality and become widespread, I think the landscape of the town will change dramatically and everyday life will be revolutionized. In that case, it may be a turning point in the same era as the spread of mobile phones and the internet. As a member of society, I find it very rewarding to be able to participate in such a project.
In addition, various organizations in Japan, from industry, government and academia, are now working together to realize Advanced Air Mobility, and I feel that everyone who participates is working with a strong feeling of "making it happen" rather than "can it be done". As a specialist in infrastructure development, Nippon Koei, which has a track record in the development of various types of infrastructure, has many opportunities to be consulted and relied on. As an engineer, I find it very rewarding to be relied on in this way.
In the discussion on Advanced Air Mobility, not only the civil engineering facility design of the take-off and landing site, but also various topics such as machinery, communications, transportation, electricity, operation, and management strategy will be discussed. Being in such a discussion is also an opportunity to learn things outside my own area of expertise, and I will continue to learn various knowledge and insights.

Tanaka (Shinji)

The real work of creating the rules for environmental assessment will begin once the full scope of the flying car's airframe and take-off and landing sites become clear. Consultations and discussions for this have begun, but we are not yet at the stage of finalizing the details. However, since it will not be ready in time for the Osaka World Expo in 2025 if it does not start running, concrete discussions are progressing from areas that can be started.
What is interesting at this stage is that we are exploring a lot of possibilities. I imagine the future in my head, mobilizing all my past experiences to see how to incorporate things that do not exist yet into the system. I am trying to put together as a puzzle to see if this will have an impact. It is a lot of fun to think about areas that no one knows about and to be able to make it happen.

Tanaka (Yoshie)

Environmental assessment is something that we are going to be considering. Since there is no precedent for implementing it anywhere, we are repeatedly looking at and reviewing materials from the United States and Europe that are ahead of us. It is a struggle because there are few materials that focus on the environment, but it is also very rewarding because we are in the same process as people who have done something unprecedented.

Fujiu

I find it rewarding to be making something that is not yet available to the world, but will eventually become commonplace. Nippon Koei has been involved in the design of airports and heliports for many years, and it is encouraging to have support from former senior engineers. We will make full use of both horizontal and vertical connections to become a pioneer of Advanced Air Mobility.

Inoue

The future prospects are described from various perspectives of solving social issues, such as measures for people with limited mobility, measures to reduce traffic congestion, and creating a system to improve the value of the surrounding area. Of these, the most important is integration with smart cities and MaaS, which Nippon Koei is also actively working on. In addition to building infrastructure, we want to utilize information platforms and incorporate them into the concept of "region". In recent years. Japanese local governments have also begun to feature Advanced Air Mobility and transport drones in their brochures. We are proud to be working at the heart of this cutting-edge technology, as the era of true air mobility is finally upon us.

Nippon Koei's mission is to approach "Urban development" from the perspective of linking it to Smart Cities and MaaS.Nippon Koei's mission is to approach "Urban development" from the perspective of linking it to Smart Cities and MaaS.

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's vision of flying cars becoming a part of daily life
Image source：Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Website

−−−Advanced Air Mobility will be responsible for transportation and logistics in the future. It is true that technology and knowledge are essential, but we at Nippon Koei believe that we can get closer to the ideal state only if we have "connections with people" and "ideas". What will the future be like when the technology of our dreams is realized? What do the engineers think about the future and dreams that can be imagined from the realization of Advanced Air Mobility(AAM)?

Inoue

I have had a longing for flying technology and the desire and dream to use it since I was a boy. In my previous job, I had experience building an air traffic control system, and now I am in charge of Advanced Air Mobility project at Nippon Koei. In addition to the realization of convenience and comfort, I would like to be involved in the work of “ Advanced Air mobility” as a human being and see a realized society. To be honest, I did not think the time would move so quickly for this to happen, so I am enjoying every experience. What I have come to see in my work as a general consultant is that flying is not the only goal. While always keeping the perspective of urban development such as smart city and MaaS(Mobility as a Service), we will first promote social implementation at Osaka Expo in 2025.

Yamagiwa

I want Advanced Air Mobility to become as common as cars and bikes are today, and I want them to become cool vehicles that young people are enthusiastic about, admire, and want to buy even if they have to save up. For example, I think that young people today have a driving date with a car, but I imagine a near future where it is normal to have a flying date with a flying car while looking at the night view.
I want it to be a vehicle that has an impact not only as a "vehicle that supports logistics and the flow of people" but also one that blends into the city's landscape and people's culture and tastes.
If my work can help create such a landscape and culture, I will work hard at my daily tasks with that in mind.

Tanaka (Shinji)

Currently, a multi-copter is being considered due to its high feasibility, but it would be interesting if a type like in a science fiction movie comes out in the distant future. But I cannot ride it because I am not good at heights. In this age where we live, free movement has not yet been realized, such as measures for vulnerable people and traffic congestion measures. I will continue to approach the realization of a better future from the field of environmental assessment.

Tanaka (Yoshie)

When I imagine various eVTOL(electric vertical take-off and landing) flying in the sky, I get very excited. As an engineer, I am very happy that the excitement spreads to society every time we take a step towards realization. On the other hand, I think there are concerns about the safety of operations. Ensuring the safety of aircraft is the area of responsibility of aircraft manufacturers, but I am involved in the area of environmental assessment to study the systems and standards of Advanced Air Mobility, and I am having fun while thinking about how I can contribute as a consultant so that Advanced Air Mobility are accepted by people with peace of mind.

−−− What each department of Nippon Koei is working on as a whole is planning based on the assumption of "what kind of society will exist after the new technology is completed". At the foundation of humanity's dream of moving freely through the sky are cities where people live and take place the daily activities. With the universal theme of mankind aiming for a more comfortable life in mind, we are promoting projects that look ahead to a society where Advanced Air Mobility become a reality.

Link to Related Website

Where Will Flying Cars Take Us? Japan Develops World’s First Air Mobility Roadmap
Official Website of the Ministry of Economy

Back

In order to realize "Advanced Air Mobility", we must first establish systems and standards. The Future of Dreams, the Challenge of Realizing the Next Generation of Air Mobility

INTRODUCTION

PROFILE

STORY

We will work towards building an Advanced Air Mobility society by considering the needs of society as well as Nippon Koei's vision of the future.

Aiming to realize "Advanced Air Mobility " with the responsibility and joy of being involved in a business that humans will experience for the first time.

Nippon Koei's mission is to approach "Urban development" from the perspective of linking it to Smart Cities and MaaS.Nippon Koei's mission is to approach "Urban development" from the perspective of linking it to Smart Cities and MaaS.

Link to Related Website

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