Urban-Air Port has opened Air-One, the world’s first fully-operational hub for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles such as air taxis and autonomous cargo drones.
The eVTOL vehicle hub will operate in Coventry for at least one month, furthering the global effort to expand zero-emission urban transport solutions. At the same time, Urban-Air Port is developing an additional 200 vertiports worldwide.
Ricky Sandhu, Founder and Executive Chairman of Urban-Air Port, said:The opening of Air-One is a momentous moment – the starting gun for a new age of transport, an age of zero-emission, congestion-free travel between and within cities that will make people healthier, happier and more connected than ever before. Cars have roads. Trains have rails. Planes have airports. Now, eVTOLs have an Urban-Air Port.
Despite numerous eVTOL vehicles entering commercial operations, the lack of ground infrastructure is currently restricting the growth of the urban air mobility market. Air-One will demonstrate how purpose-built ground infrastructure can further the potential of advanced air mobility and help decarbonise urban transport.
Minister for Aviation, Robert Courts said: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.
The Air-One hub will demonstrate aircraft command and control, eVTOL charging, and cargo loading for unmanned drones. West Midlands Police and Skyfarer will be among the first to operate flights from the site, showcasing how vertiports can be used as a base for “sky protection” and high-value cargo deliveries.
Air-One also incorporates charging infrastructure for other electric transport vehicles to further support the uptake of zero-emission-at-the-tailpipe transport.
