Skyportz has opened its property partner database to accept registrations anywhere in the world from potential vertiport locations.
Also announced at the World Air Taxi Congress in Istanbul, Turkey was a modular vertiport design able to be shipped to any location.
Designed by Contreras Earl Architecture (Australia) with site specific input from Arup and To70 Aviation, these beautiful sculptural buildings can be deployed in components packed into shipping containers anywhere in the world.
Leading electric aircraft developer Beta Technologies, will provide battery charging infrastructure which will be suitable for almost any aircraft that may utilize the vertiport.
Skyportz had previously announced the first Australian vertiport partnership at a business park in Melbourne at Caribbean Park.
“With the development of a vertiport in a business park we are breaking the nexus between aviation and airports. For this industry to succeed it needs to have policy makers and property owners pushing the envelope to support new “mini airports” in locations people want to go,” said Clem Newton-Brown, CEO of Skyportz.
“The Caribbean Park design is for 3 active pads and multiple charging bays. This announcement today is about bringing to the world the same incredible design with options for a more compact and affordable unit that can shipped and installed, in advance of the aircraft operating.”
“We are already getting interest from existing helipad networks operated by tourism operators such as Microflite in Australia. Skyportz can provide a branded network with Beta charging facilities ready to operate as soon as the eVTOL aircraft are available.”
“Another good application is retrofitting existing buildings and multi-level car parking garages. The vertiports can be used for other purposes for now, such as event spaces, cafes, bars or meetings rooms and be ready for aviation activation when the time is right.”
Newton-Brown highlighted at the Congress the urgency for the property industry and policy makers to enable vertiport networks to be established.
“The frontrunners have had over $10B invested into aircraft development in the last year. This investment needs to be doubled down into vertiport infrastructure if the business cases are to be realized. There is no point developing these aircraft if they can’t land in new locations.”
No-where in the world has any jurisdiction set out definitive rules, regulations and standards for new vertiports.
“Skyportz is offering the property industry a chance to get on the front foot and install these lightweight, affordable vertiports in advance of being able to actually use them. We don’t need to wait for the policy makers, these buildings can be used for other purposes for now and will be on site and ready to activate for aviation in the future,” said Newton-Brown. “With our vertiport database growing daily we can assemble networks of sites in any launch market sought by investors.”
Rafael Contreras, director, Contreras Earl Architecture, observed, “We are proud to have designed this modular, transportable vertiport – a beautiful, sculptural, ground-breaking terminal that contributes to the evolution of architecture and to the future of our communities and cities. We founded Contreras Earl Architecture to design original, inventive buildings like Skyportz, as we believe architecture and technology should evolve together. Using advanced technology, we developed an efficient modular design made with recyclable aluminum. The system is lightweight, prefabricated and assembled on site, so that it can be adapted and configured for a broad range of settings and scaled for mass production.”
Patrick Buckles, chief revenue officer for Beta Technologies, said, “We look forward to working with Skyportz to deliver the essential charging hardware to their sites.”
“Not all sites will be suitable for vertiports as an urban environment presents all sorts of challenges for aviation. We will be assessing potential sites based on the information that is available now from regulators and aircraft OEMs,” observed Phil Owen, senior aviation consultant with To70.
Arup’s Ronan Delany noted that, “Vertiports need to be designed to be flexible for the many potential futures that AAM can bring, the facilities also incorporate many elements that will be found in a modern airport terminal as well as other considerations which are emerging in this industry. Passenger experience, baggage handling, security screening, fire engineering, battery charging infrastructure, transport network planning and acoustic / environmental impacts are all examples of what needs to be incorporated into vertiport designs.”
“We are looking forward to utilizing these modular vertiport facilities at our existing destinations as well as new destinations which are being enabled by the Skyportz network. As Microflite morphs into electric aircraft we will be able to create new destinations and services for the community in an environmentally sustainable way,” said Rodney Higgins, Microflite’s chief operating officer.
Michael Dyment, managing partner of Nexa Capital noted that, “Nexa Capital and UAM Geomatics will be providing consulting services to Skyportz and their property partners to pull together vertiport launch networks in cities and regions around the world using our proprietary analytical tools.”
This press release was prepared and distributed by Skyportz.
