Abu Dhabi based drone company, LODD, alongside partners Skyports Infrastructure, has unveiled a slew of new vertiport designs under consideration for development across three separate locations within the United Arab Emirates.
The announcement was made during the ICAO Global Implementation Support Symposium (GISS) 2025 in Abu Dhabi, with the two companies signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the development of vertiport infrastructure connecting key locations throughout the country.
The development of the new vertiport infrastructure is set to enable both the launch and scaling of electrical vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) operations & autonomous aerial logistics for the country.
Rashid Al Mannai, CEO of LODD, emphasised the significance of vertiport integration:Abu Dhabi serves as a global model for air mobility, thanks to its progressive systems. These vertiports will lay the foundation for a future-ready air mobility network, supporting both commercial eVTOL passenger services and autonomous aerial logistics.
Speaking at GISS, both parties provided in-depth insights into vertiport design concepts for locations in Al Bateen, Yas Island and Khalifa Port, with a total of 14 potential sites having been assessed for feasibility.
Duncan Walker, CEO of Skyports, commented:The unveiling of these designs and signing of an MOU highlights the progress being made to define and develop Abu Dhabi’s AAM infrastructure network. As our vertiport concept designs show, cargo is just as important to Abu Dhabi’s AAM future as passenger operations. The development of a comprehensive passenger and cargo network will enable us to bring wide ranging benefits to the Emirate, for both people and businesses.
