Skyports completes vertiport at Bicester Motion
Skyports Infrastructure (Skyports) has reached operational completion of its vertiport at Bicester Motion, Oxfordshire, one of the UK’s first testing grounds and hubs for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) flights.
Copied to clipboard
Image courtesy Skyports Limited
Skyports previewed the completed facility at an inaugural event, 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 & Scheduling System (RMSS) and situational awareness tools (such as weather sensors and real-time aircraft tracking) – ensuring operational safety and providing a radical rethinking of the passenger journey at vertiports.
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.
The vertiport 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.”
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.”
Skyports’ new vertiport at Bicester Motion includes:
- A compact terminal, constructed on a plot of 0.42 acres (0.17 hectares), to showcase vertiport infrastructure’s efficient nature and highlight the capacity for seamless integration into urban landscapes, where space is at a premium, and facilitate fast passenger throughput.
- Passenger processing facilities which will include passenger weight data collection and weight balance optimisation, passenger identity validation, verification and screening. The addition of a dedicated passenger lounge will demonstrate a comprehensive customer experience.
- An operations room equipped with Skyports’ suite of Vertiport Automation System (VAS) technology, featuring a bespoke resource management and scheduling operations dashboard, enabling high aircraft throughput compatible with all operators.
- A situational awareness module to provide visualisation tools for comprehensive airspace, weather and vertiport perimeter monitoring.
Copied to clipboard
Sign up for our newsletter and get our latest content in your inbox.
Similar Reads
1
2
3
Sign up for our newsletter. Select all sectors relevant to you.
Related
Bristow Group acquires Berry Aviation as it shifts further into government services
Bristow Group acquires Berry Aviation as it shifts further into government services
Bristow Group’s $105 million acquisition of Berry Aviation will add defence, ISR, mission support and unmanned systems capabilities to its Government Services business.
Airbus Belfast delivers 500th A220-300 wingset after becoming fully integrated
Airbus Belfast delivers 500th A220-300 wingset after becoming fully integrated
Airbus Belfast has completed its 500th A220-300 wingset, just months after the former Spirit AeroSystems facility came under Airbus ownership.
Skybus managing director leaves with immediate effect
Skybus managing director leaves with immediate effect
The unexpected departure comes just months after the airline was at the centre of the high-profile collapse of Cornwall's subsidised London Gatwick air service.
Royal Navy begins sea trials for giant submarine drone XV Excalibur
Royal Navy begins sea trials for giant submarine drone XV Excalibur
The 12 metre uncrewed submarine will begin trials in Plymouth and surrounding waters, focussed on integration of payloads and trials of the platform.
Rolls-Royce Submarines breaks ground on major Derby expansion to support AUKUS
Rolls-Royce Submarines breaks ground on major Derby expansion to support AUKUS
Rolls-Royce Submarines has broken ground on a major expansion of its Raynesway site in Derby, doubling manufacturing capacity.
Bristow Group acquires Berry Aviation as it shifts further into government services
Bristow Group acquires Berry Aviation as it shifts further into government services
Bristow Group’s $105 million acquisition of Berry Aviation will add defence, ISR, mission support and unmanned systems capabilities to its Government Services business.
BAE Systems’ Endura demos radiation-hardened capability for space missions
BAE Systems’ Endura demos radiation-hardened capability for space missions
BAE Systems has successfully demonstrated the ability of its Endura system-on-chip (Soc) space processor…
BAE Systems to build high-res imagery satellites for Vantor
BAE Systems to build high-res imagery satellites for Vantor
BAE Systems has entered into an agreement to build high-resolution imaging satellite buses for Vantor, a provider of unified spatial intelligence from space to ground.
ADS appoints Matthew Reynolds as CIO
ADS appoints Matthew Reynolds as CIO
ADS Group - parent organisation of trade association ADS and Farnborough International - has appointed Matthew Reynolds as its Chief Information Officer (CIO).
Smiths Detection completes transition to CVC Capital Partners
Smiths Detection completes transition to CVC Capital Partners
Smiths Detection has completed its transition from Smiths Group to CVC Capital Partners (CVC), a private markets investment firm.
Serbus acquires Westica
Serbus acquires Westica
Provider of secure Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) networking and communication solutions, Serbus, has acquired Westica Communications Limited (Westica), for an undisclosed sum.
CAA warns of risks posed by incorrectly packed batteries
CAA warns of risks posed by incorrectly packed batteries
Ahead of the big summer getaway where over 60 million people are expected to…