UK's first vertiport for electric air taxi industry in Oxfordshire complete
A vertiport testbed for the electric air taxi industry in Oxfordshire has reached operational completion.
The vertiport at Bicester Motion, built by Skyports Infrastructure, is one of the UK's first testing grounds and hubs for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) flights.
Skyports previewed the completed facility at an inaugural event this month, hosting partners of the Advanced Mobility Ecosystem Consortium.
During the event, attendees were given demonstrations of vertiport operations, including passenger processing, vertiport automation systems for aircraft and passengers, Skyports' proprietary Remote Management and Scheduling System, and situational awareness tools, ensuring operational safety and providing a radical rethinking of the passenger journey at vertiports.
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The vertiport is a key output of the Advanced Mobility Ecosystem Consortium, a UKRI Future Flight Challenge project which is demonstrating the feasibility of an AAM ecosystem in the UK.
The vertiport will be a 'critical facility' for testing electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) ground infrastructure and flight operations, playing a 'significant role' in enabling the next generation of electric, low noise aviation in the UK.
The vertiport is designed to develop with evolving eVTOL technologies, providing the UK with a central hub for partners to collaborate on the future of advanced air mobility together.
It will serve as a 'key network node and living lab' for the Consortium's wider testing programme and public and stakeholder engagement, including demonstration flights of Vertical Aerospace's VX4 prototype.
Duncan Walker, chief executive officer, Skyports, said: 'Completing Bicester adds another vertiport to our rapidly expanding portfolio. We are excited to see commercial AAM operations go live in the near future in the UK.'
Michael Cervenka, chief commercial and strategy officer at Vertical Aerospace, said: 'The completion of Skyports' vertiport at Bicester Motion marks an exciting step forward for advanced air mobility in the UK.
"Having access to an operationally ready vertiport enables us to validate not just the performance of eVTOL aircraft, but the real-world infrastructure and processes that will support future electric air travel.
"Collaboration through the Advanced Mobility Ecosystem is turning ambition into action, and we're proud to be at the forefront of this journey.'
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James Richmond, Head of Advanced Air Mobility at consortium leader AtkinsRéalis, said: 'The vertiport is already proving its value as a pathfinder project for the UK, setting new precedents and providing infrastructure insights for the industry.
"As a living lab and centre of innovation for the Advanced Mobility Ecosystem Consortium, we expect it to continue to play a long-term role in validating end-to-end operational concepts and technologies.
"The lessons learned here will be critical for streamlining the development of other vertiports in the UK, ultimately scaling Advanced Air Mobility.'
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