Dawn of new era in urban mobility

Kevin Cox, CEO of Ferrovial Vertiports, considers the key role airports can play in unlocking the benefits of urban air mobility.

The revolution in Urban Air Mobility is gathering momentum globally with a new model of sustainable transport set to become reality within a few years. Electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOLs) will transform the way we travel within and between cities.

The design and development of eVTOLs is moving apace as developers seek certification for these battery-powered aircraft from aviation regulatory authorities.

Indeed, several manufacturers expect regulatory approval for manufacturing and operations between 2024 and 2026.

Hand-in-hand with eVTOL development is the need for a network of sites for these vehicles to take-off and land. These sites are known as 'vertiports' and infrastructure companies around the world, including Ferrovial, are analysing the most effective markets, locations and facilities to maximise the benefits of eVTOL travel.

It’s critical that airports understand and actively engage with this new transport mode which will bring benefits to them, their airline customers and passengers, and local communities.

Tapping into this new market can improve airports’ connectivity locally, provide a faster travel alternative and open up routes to airlines and new passengers, while lessening the overall environmental impact. Already, airlines across the world are embracing the potential of eVTOLs with aircraft orders and/or partnerships.

There are currently three main business models which eVTOL service operators are focusing on, and the most effective vertiport networks will need to be agnostic to support all of them.

Each vertiport site location will be chosen based on local market demand, demographics, topography and climate. Complex analysis of potential sites will also consider existing transport options and trends as well as airspace availability.

The first business model is intra-city, which will serve commuters travelling across large cities and their surrounding neighbourhoods on short routes of up to 50 kilometres.

This model demands high frequency operations, albeit with peaks and troughs during the day and week as with traditional commuter travel. A dense network of vertiports will be required to support these services with excellent connections and integration with rail and other transit modes.

The vertiports will need to be located close to residential and business areas as well as leisure and cultural centres and transport intersections such as cruise ship hubs and airports. Airports and airlines can benefit from this model by feeding intra-city traffic onto traditional flights.

The intra-airline model is point-to-airline travel of up to 150 kilometres. This would offer passengers significantly reduced journey times, such as between an airport hub and metropolitan area not served by traditional air-service operations.

To maximise these quicker journey times, vertiports need to have excellent connections with other local and regional transport modes. These links would generate additional traffic for the airport and airlines and open up new travel options for passengers.

Finally, the inter-city model offers routes between 50 to 300 kilometres benefitting passengers with considerable time savings where there are no existing connections by air or other transport modes.

This model will also require excellent integration with local and regional transport modes to support passengers’ connectivity choices. It is anticipated that inter-city traffic will have more weekly rather than daily variability in customer demand.

Over time, these eVTOL trips are expected to be as affordable on a per-mile basis as app-based and private car services.

Vertiport networks will bring new benefits to airports and airlines. They will enhance local and regional air connections and generate additional traffic for airlines while being quieter than many other transport types and creating zero emissions.

Access to traditional airports is likely to play a key role in the success of this new industry, but just having available land is not enough. UAM passengers will want speedy connections to get to their final destinations seamlessly, so vertiports throughout an urban market need to be located where people live, work and play.

In contrast to airports, which tend to be built outside metropolitan areas due to land requirements and noise levels, vertiports will need to offer convenient first and last-mile connections.

Fortunately, vertiports can be built almost anywhere including at or near airports. They will be small, unobtrusive and embedded into the local community since eVTOLs don’t need a runway or a large footprint.

Those airports and airlines that are keen to embed a vertiport into their business need to consider various factors.

Firstly, will it benefit their market? Does an airport want a vertiport largely to support its current customer base and continue to locally feed its existing hub more efficiently? Does it want to generate new passengers such as point-to-point city commuters from other markets? Is it a combination?

Secondly, what are the practical requirements? How much land is needed, is local airspace compatible to eVTOL operations and what are the additional security measures required?

In terms of size, large eight-stand vertiports may cover approximately 13,000 square metres while a small two-stand vertiport needs just 4,000 square metres, including buildings and airfield.

It’s not just space that’s critical but good connections to surface access are also essential. Other considerations include whether the vertiport should be located on the airport site, and, if so, airside or landside or outside the perimeter.

Each option will present operational and connectivity opportunities and challenges to be worked through.

Vertiports offer an opportunity to re-design air travel by simplifying check-in and security procedures and reducing passengers’ dwell times. Operators are aiming for passenger waits of 15 minutes or less with quick kerb to airside access.

Speed is also key for aircraft turnaround times. eVTOL flights will only be effective if they operate at high frequency with minimal turnaround times for battery charging and maintenance.

It’s critical that vertiports are agnostic and able to serve various eVTOL sizes and business models. This will maximise traffic flows and optimise operational efficiency and space. And it must provide fast, convenient connections that are critical to UAM’s success.

The third factor to be considered is how vertiports will benefit local communities and meet their expectations on safety and sustainability, including noise levels. Obviously, safety in the air and on the ground remains the number one priority but sustainability will be key, too.

Both vertiport operations and eVTOL flights must target zero-carbon goals, be quieter than traditional aviation operations and rely on renewable energy when possible. In short, vertiports must be good neighbours.

We are at the dawn of a new era in urban mobility. eVTOLs and vertiports will provide safe, quiet and environmentally friendly travel that integrates into existing infrastructure including airports. It will enhance local and regional travel, boost local economies and provide new routes for commuters and also for business and leisure travellers.

The revolution is happening right now. Various eVTOL models and vertiports are being developed that will transform the way we move while reassuring consumers that they are safe, sustainable and offer value for money.

In summary, airports and airlines have a critical role to play in this new aviation market. Those airports and airlines that are already working alongside eVTOL and vertiport developers will be well positioned to benefit from this innovative, ground-breaking transport mode when it takes off.