The world’s first dedicated airport for flying taxis and cargo drones opened for its first demonstration flights today in Coventry, England, in a development that was compared with the creation of the first railroads in the 1800s.
Urban-Air Port said the Air One site in Coventry will demonstrate how purpose-built ground infrastructure can “unleash the potential” of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to reduce ground traffic and pollution, with West Midlands Police, local logistics company Skyfarer and unmanned drone developer Malloy Aeronautics will be among the first to operate flights from the site.
The site, at Westminster Car Park in the centre of Coventry, will also host charging infrastructure for other modes of electric transport, including electric vehicles, with AFC Energy PLC (AIM:AFC, OTC:AFGYF, ETR:QC8) leasing a zero-emission hydrogen power generator.
@UrbanAirPort have opened the world’s first vertiport for flying taxis and autonomous delivery drones – named Air-One – in #Coventry city centre. Urban-Air Port has plans to deliver over 200 of these sites across the world to unlock the future of air mobility #CapitalReports pic.twitter.com/pzTplgXa9t
— Capital Midlands News (@CapitalMidsNews) April 25, 2022
Urban-Air Port claims to have an order book for ‘vertiports’ elsewhere in the UK, including the West Midlands and London, as well as in the Los Angeles, Paris, Australia, Scandinavia and South Korea.
Although this first site was later than planned (and according to photos on Twitter looks a bit less glamorous than the artist's impressions), the company is now accelerating its plans to develop more sites, said founder Ricky Sandhu.
“Air-One is just the first model in our infrastructure fleet and our order-book is not only open but already growing. The interest is turning into recognition of the need for our technology and into demand,” said Sandhu, whose training is as an architect.
Robert Courts, minister for aviation, said: “British innovation has a rich history of transforming global transportation, from the creation of the railroads in the 1800s, to the growth of great British brands such as Jaguar, Triumph and Rover in the 1950s.
“The opening of Air-One, backed by government funding, will revolutionise the way people and goods travel across the nation. This step forward puts Britain at the vanguard of clean transport, bringing investment and high-skilled, green job opportunities to the nation, while levelling up opportunity in the Midlands."
Urban-Air Port says the physical footprint of its sites is 60% smaller than a traditional heliport and can be installed in a matter of days with zero carbon emissions, though the Coventry site took 11 weeks of construction.
A collaboration with Munich Airport on the launch of Air-One was agreed last year with the aim of this initial site becoming the blueprint for future deployments elsewhere.
Urban-Air Port said it will generate revenue through an 'infrastructure as a service' model, "where customers decide the level of service they require", from purchasing the basic infrastructure up to a 'full service offering' including design development and ongoing operations and maintenance.
Other recent deals have included a collaboration with Leeds Bradford Airport on developing a new hub for unmanned and manned aerial vehicle powered by hydrogen; and one with Skanska and Skellefteå Airport in Sweden to integrate infrastructure for drone deliveries at a logistics site under development.
Though the advanced air mobility (AAM) market is forecasted to reach US$12.7bn by 2027, the company cites the lack of ground infrastructure as "one of the biggest barriers to the growth of the AAM industry".