Organizers of the World Expo 2025 in western Japan have announced the names of businesses picked to operate flying car shuttle services during the event.

The flying cars are operated using drone technology.
They are electrically powered and take off and land vertically.

The vehicles' developers are aiming to put them into commercial service at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai.

The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition has been recruiting operators of flying car shuttles for the route between the Expo venue and Kansai International Airport, and between the venue and central Osaka.

The four corporate groups chosen in the first round were announced on Tuesday.

Japan's ANA Holdings was selected along with the US venture firm Joby Aviation, which will develop the vehicle's body.

Another pick, Japan Airlines, will use a vehicle developed by Germany's Volocopter.

Major Japanese trading house Marubeni plans to use a vehicle made by Britain's Vertical Aerospace, while the Japanese venture firm SkyDrive will use its own product.

The association's Secretary General Ishige Hiroyuki described flying cars as mobility of the future, which would enable people to fly safely and freely as a part of everyday life.

He expressed the hope of realizing a once-in-a-century air travel revolution at the expo.