What will be the world’s first port for air taxis is due to be completed in Singapore by end of 2019. The scheme will be a collaboration between UK-based aerospace firm Skyports, German aircraft maker Volocopter, German designer Brandlab, Los Angeles-based Graft Architects and UK consulting engineer Arup.
The "voloport" prototype will contain physical landing pads for vertical electric take-off and landing vehicles. The scheme will test customer services such as pre-flight checks, ground operations and services, including battery swaps and charging. It will also allow regulators to view the infrastructure and provide feedback before they are asked to approve the final design.
Alex Zosel, Volocopter co-founder, said: "Receiving the commercial licence for air taxi aircraft is a question of time not possibility. We are focusing on shaping the necessary ecosystem around urban air mobility, including air traffic management, city regulation and the take-off and landing infrastructure.
"Once regulation comes through on the aviation and city level, and this will be sooner than most think, we will be ready to take off."
Duncan Walker, Skyports’ managing director, said: "Each individual voloport is designed so that it can stand alone or connect to other ports in numerous formations, enabling rapid deployment and scalability.
"We have analysed the available spaces and movement dynamics in city centres across the world and recognise that infrastructure is a key enabler for the emerging urban air mobility market."
Public flight trials are due to begin in the second half of 2019.
Images courtesy of Brandlab
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Amazing transport innovation,very much welcome, thank you.