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You can’t have eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) operations without adequate infrastructure, but you can have them without traditional airports. This is the bold vision of Skyportz, the vertiport company aiming to disrupt the industry with a new perspective on air taxi infrastructure. Additionally, the vertiport design itself is revolutionary, and a recent study confirmed its unique potential related to a specific regulation issue.
At this moment, the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency), and CASA (Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority) have all issued vertiport guidelines in support of upcoming air taxi services.
Recently, the FAA has highlighted a particular issue regarding the downwash/outwash aspect. More specifically, vertipads are required to have a wind safety zone (where wind speed exceeds 34.5 mph) beyond the landing surface. In practical means, this means that operators will need a bigger surface for air taxi operations overall.
The Skyportz modular vertipad design offers a different approach. Due to the design itself, this vertipad is able to dissipate energy up to 250 percent faster than a flat concrete surface used for air taxi landing. The energy is dissipated faster and the flow is redirected away from the waiting passengers. As a result, this modular vertiport can function safely even with a smaller footprint, since it doesn’t need a large wind safety zone.
These are the findings of a recent study conducted at the Swinburne University of Technology. The study confirms the advantage of the Skyportz modular vertiport design compared to flat tarmac landing sites. In practical terms, this is good news for future operators.
Skyportz is revolutionizing the industry’s perspective on eVTOL infrastructure. In this bold vision, commercial and industrial property developers will be able to host vertiports so that air taxis won’t be tied to traditional airports. In other words, businesses that would provide air taxi services to their customers could have access to properties that already have vertiports included.
Even with a small plot of land, property developers could start to integrate modular vertiports for future air taxi operations, all thanks to the modular concept developed by Skyportz.
The Australia-based infrastructure company owns the patent for this modular vertiport and plans to license manufacturing and distribution all over the world.
It’s the dawn of a new era in air mobility. Until now, the focus has largely been on eVTOLs, innovative aircraft that combine efficiency with a lower environmental footprint. However, infrastructure is just as important in expanding air taxi services and bringing them where they are needed the most.
Skyportz is leading the way with one of the most innovative approaches to vertiport design. It takes time, and the regulatory framework is still in its infancy, but we’re getting closer to having green air taxis at our fingertips.
