UK stakeholders layout an ambitious roadmap of actions required by 2025 if the country is to become a leader in the emerging market.
With target dates for the launch of electric air taxi services drawing closer, more manufacturers are striking deals aimed at ensuring infrastructure will be in place when their aircraft are ready.
UK startup Vertical Aerospace has announced an agreement with infrastructure operator Ferrovial to cooperate on creating a network of 25 vertiports across the UK. The company is working with Virgin Atlantic on the proposed launch of services using these sites.
Credit: Vertical Aerospace
Vertical will work with Ferrovial to locate and design a network of UK vertiports. The Spanish infrastructure company is already working with German eVTOL startup Lilium to develop and operate 10 vertiports in Florida for the launch of its planned regional air mobility service in 2025. Ferrovial will develop the sites and Lilium will pay landing fees once it begins operations.
There are guidelines, though, that need to be established for these to come to fruition.
On Oct. 19, Vertical published a white paper calling for a series of UK government actions to enable commercial eVTOL flights to begin in 2025. The report noted there is currently no design manual or licensing regime for vertiports in the UK or any other major market.
The Future of Advanced Air Mobility report was produced by UK electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) vehicle developer Vertical Aerospace along with partners Virgin Atlantic, lessor Avolon, London Heathrow Airport, vertiport developer Skyports and UK air navigation service provider (ANSP) NATS.
In addition to highlighting the economic and environmental benefits of electric intercity passenger flights, the white paper sets out a road map of milestones that must be achieved by manufacturers, operators, airports and vertiports, regulators, policymakers, service providers and flight schools.
"The UK can lead this transportation revolution. To build and maintain that lead we need government to support clear, pragmatic regulation, guaranteeing safety and encouraging rapid uptake.”
To enable electric intercity flight in the UK by 2025, the white paper lays out, Vertical must work with the operator and ANSP to conduct “sandbox” service trials in 2023-24 and certify and begin deliveries of its VA-X4 four-passenger eVTOL air taxi by the end of 2024.
Credit: Embraer
At the same time, the operator must hire and train a cohort of pilots with a VA-X4 type rating by 2023-24 and define the preliminary route network and passenger experience by 2024. The ANSP must define airspace and procedure design for VTOL aircraft by 2024.
Airports must amend their airspace to accommodate additional VTOL movements by 2024 and install rapid charging infrastructure by 2025. Vertiport designs must be finalized and licenses secured by 2024 and facilities built by 2025.
Additionally, regulators will be required to decide if eVTOLs are a new class of aircraft, update air traffic control regulations to support their operation, define security requirements for VTOL services and develop a licensing regime for vertiports. Before this can happen, policymakers must update planning policies to include guidance on AAM infrastructure.
“It is aggressive, but who out there has not put forward an aggressive timeline,” said consultant Darrell Swanson, who authored an April report on distributed aviation published by UK aerospace association ADS.
"The real challenge is the infrastructure. Vertical may be ready by 2024, but we need to get a move on if we are going to build a network to accommodate them."