Category: Infrastructure

Transcend Air, developer of the Vy 400 luxury VTOL, has announced a partnership to build landing pads throughout the U.S and Canada.

A concept Transcend Air ‘Vertipad’.

Transcend Air is partnering with Lily Helipads, a current developer of custom helipads based in Indiana. Lily Helipads is dedicated to building helicopter landing pads that are both safe and environmentally friendly. Already, the two companies have begun the design of the new landing pads. They will be placed on the waterfronts of major coastal cities and will include solar power, unique LED lighting for VTOL navigation, heated surfaces to avoid ice build-up, and fluid run-off collection for recycling. The new ‘Vertipads’ will initially be built in Manhattan, Boston, San Francisco and Montreal.

Said John Dotlich, CEO of Lily Helipads: “Lily Helipads is excited for the opportunity to incorporate many of the tried-and-true innovations found in our helipad landing surfaces into these new Transcend vertipad landing systems.” Transcend Air hopes that these new helipads will bring forward their goal of making travel both more convenient and sustainable.”

A heated helipad in Indiana designed by Lily Helipads for safe landings in icy conditions.

Transcend Air was founded with the goal of creating an urban air mobility network between major cities. Flights offered initially will be San Francisco to Los Angles, New York to Boston, and Montreal to Toronto for an average price of about $300 USD. The company is somewhat unique in this goal as many other UAM companies plan to fly shorter distances. Transcend plans to begin flights in 2024.

“By bringing vertipads close to travelers, we don’t increase airport traffic. And by focusing on a safe and environmentally-friendly landing and takeoff infrastructure, as only Lily can help us provide, we will be creating a more sustainable way to travel.” -Transcend Air founder and CEO Gregory Bruell.

Full view of the Transcend Air Vy 400

Why it’s important: As VTOL solutions become closer to reality, the demand for infrastructure will accelerate. By partnering with Transcend Air, Lily Helipads has put itself on the map for providing VTOL landing pads. The agreement between the two companies shows that development toward a 2024 launch is moving forward.

Sources // Vertical Magazine, Lily Helipads, Transcend Air

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The Shenzhen Municipal Commerce Bureau has decided to incorporate helicopters into its city’s public transport system, making it the first city in China to do so. Partnering with Airbus, the city plans to open helicopter services up for their residents by the end of 2019.

“Airbus is collaborating closely with China on helicopters. We would like to start introducing this UAM service with existing helicopters and in parallel develop the new electronic vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) and next-generation vehicles,” says Airbus Head of UAM Eduardo Dominguez Puerta

Airbus, having earlier partnered with BLADE to provide the helicopters for BLADE’s helicopter service in the United States, will now expand with a similar service in China. Said Airbus Head of Urban Air Mobility Eduardo Dominguez Puerta: “I hope that we can prove together at the end of this year that this is not science fiction, but an existing reality and an option for people in Shenzhen.”

An image of BLADE’s helicopter service, providing a similar transportation service in locations across the United States.

The reception of this new service in China is still varied. A resident in the Bao’an district said the service would be ‘interesting to try out’, but also expressed worries that noise levels could be detrimental, which is one of the main concerns with implementing UAM across urban cities. While Airbus will undoubtedly work with the Municipal Commerce Bureau in order to meet all the requirements and certifications, the fact that many helicopters create noise pollution could be worrying when implementing them into a public transport service. Ideally however, helicopters would eventually be replaced with eVTOLs which are far quieter.

Whike further specifics have not yet been provided about the new program, Puerta intends for the service in Shenzhen to be “more acceptable to the public” in terms of financials and practicality, possibly meaning that ordering a helicopter may be both affordable and reasonable to the average Shenzhen denizen. The helicopter service could also possibly be paired with other ground transportation methods, such as Shenzhen’s currently existing all-electric bus and/or taxi service. The end goal would be a “seamless end-to-end transport solution”, according to Puerta.

Part of Shenzhen’s public transportation upgrades include its all-electric bus fleet

Why it’s important: The new service in Shenzhen will be another branch of Airbus’ initiative to make urban air mobility a widespread reality. Actively working on both new forms of transportation, Airbus is making important moves within the UAM industry. The reception to this service, specifically in terms of practicality and noise factors, could be the main factor in deciding if other metropolitan cities in China will also adopt a similar service in the future.  

Sources // Global Construction Review

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At the Tech for Good Summit in Paris, Guillaume Faury, CEO of Airbus, and Catherine Guillouard, CEO of RATP Group, signed a memorandum of understanding to launch a joint study on the viability of incorporating Urban Air Mobility into our daily lives.

The CityBus, just one of Airbus’ designs for creating a vehicle for UAM

The study will examine the feasibility of UAM through the lens of Mobility-as-a-Service, or MaaS, which is the movement of trending towards transportation as a service, like Uber or Lyft, rather than using personal modes of transportation. In other words, both Airbus and RATP Group will specifically examine the development of UAM as a service, looking at controlled costs and accessibility factors for integrating UAM into our infrastructural ecosystem.

“Beyond mass transport, which remains our core business, it is important for RATP Group to promote its human and technical know-how to develop new forms of mobility and new services to support the smart cities of tomorrow. We are delighted to be working on this with Airbus, the world leader in the aerospace industry, which will provide its unique expertise in the aviation sector”, says Catherine Guillouard, CEO of RATP group.

Both Airbus and RATP Group have vested interests in making UAM a reality. Airbus is currently in the middle of developing several different types of eVTOL aircraft, many for the purpose of servicing urban air transport. The RATP Group is currently in charge of most of the public transport in Paris, as well as the rest of the Île-de-France region. The Paris Métro, as well as various tram and bus services, and part of the Réseau Express Régional (RER) network are all under the operation of the RATP Group. In the Île-de-France region alone, RATP is responsible for about 3 billion passengers per year.

“Autonomous flights or flying vehicles are no longer the reserves of science-fiction. We are developing technology demonstrators to allow populations to connect faster. We already have the technical blocks but we have to align them and integrate them into the user’s everyday life without compromising the safety, which is our priority. RATP is one of the major players in urban mobility. Its knowledge regarding passengers, their needs and related services, make them the ideal partner for Airbus”, says Guillaume Faury, CEO of Airbus.

Why it’s important: The joint study by Airbus and RATP Group will be extremely beneficial for gaining an understanding of how the future of UAM will proceed. The financial and physical viability of the endeavor of integrating UAM into a city or region’s intrastructure is still for the most part unexplored, as many companies have still yet to finish development of their aircraft before taking the next step. A study with insight from both a public transportation operator and an aircraft manufacturer will provide useful information for how to proceed in making UAM an affordable widespread reality.

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The Los Angeles County Public Works department has added a Pipistrel SkyCharge station to the Compton/Woodley Airport:

The new Pipistrel SkyCharge stations will be able to charge a Pipistrel ALPHA Electro Light Sport from empty to full battery in about 45 minutes. These charging stations are built by Pipistrel specifically for the Pipistrel Alpha Electro Light Sport, which is two seater all-electric aircraft built specifically for flight training. Although the ALPHA Electro is currently only certified for rural areas, full certification for urban flight in Los Angeles is anticipated soon.

Adding the charging station at the Woodley/Compton airport is part of Pipistrel’s growing effort to promote urban aviation. Pipistrel is one of the key partners for the upcoming Uber Elevate urban air mobility network, and hopes the addition of the charging stations will promote urban flight in Los Angeles. Notably, Uber Elevate plans to begin eVTOL operations in Los Angeles by 2023.

The two new charging stations were built in partnership with Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum, a non-profit organization with the vision of making aviation quieter, cleaner, more sustainable, affordable, and compatible with the environment and local communities. These goals closely align with the those of UAM companies like Uber Elevate. The stations are the first commercial electric aircraft charging stations in the U.S, marking an important step forward for electric infrastructure.

Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum already owns two ALPHA Electro aircraft which it uses for flight training.

Pipistrel plans to continue installing SkyCharge stations throughout airports in Los Angeles County. San Gabriel Valley Airport, located in the City of El Monte, will be next to recieve a station.

Why it’s important: The addition of the Pipistrel SkyCharge docking station to the Woodley/Compton marks a step forward for integrating aviation into urban communities. This decision by Los Angeles County shows that the local government is favorable to a future of urban aviation, and has already committed to begin building infrastructure for electric urban flight. Electric charging stations at traditional airports will help pave the way for Uber’s eVTOL flights coming to Los Angeles within the next five years.

As metropolitan cities continue to grow, the skies could be the next area targeted by urban transportation. In November of 2018, Roland Berger and the Aviary Project conducted a study called “Urban Air Mobility – The rise of a new mode of transportation”. The study focuses on the possibility of ‘air taxis’ and other sorts of drone services spreading into the commercial industry, and goes into various options and obstacles facing that path. Roland Berger’s study goes into how urban air mobility might be able to mitigate traffic and cheap transportation if implemented successfully.

Drone services could provide an attractive solution for areas instead of merely increasing two-dimensional capacity in urban areas

To circumvent the increasingly inefficient method of accommodating urban travel through a 2D expansion of cities, taking to the air might be a more viable solution. The study indicates that by 2025, the first commercial and profitable eVTOL air taxi route would open. Cities like Dubai, Singapore, Los Angeles and Dallas are already scheduled for experimental pilot projects by the early 2020s, with predicted improvements in design, battery life, and autonomous flight technology for these air taxis by the late 2020s. By 2050, the Roland Berger study predicts that around 100,000 passenger drones will be in service all across the world.

There are a few obstacles facing this airborne future, however. The actual design of the aircraft is one of the topics of debate. While aircraft designs like multi- and quadrocopters, tilt-wingers, hybrid designs, electrical vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircrafts are more suitable for urban operations where the capability for tight turns is needed, fast flying vertical starters which are more like a conventional jet aircraft are ideal for use between longer distances.

A conceptual quadrocopter drone design

Another issue is the infrastructure needed to implement such a service. eVTOL landing sites, charging infrastructures and maintenance facilities would all be needed for a successful business model, not to mention that any landing site would also have to be approved by the appropriate government. Additionally, a strong 5G cellular network would be essential, in order to enable communication among eVTOL aircraft, other flying aircraft, and between the control centers on the ground.

On average, respondents held that eVTOLs would reach cost parity by 2038, and become viable for daily commuting by 2040.

The solution to overcoming these obstacles is communication, according to Roland Berger. “Manufacturers, operators, infrastructure providers and regulatory authorities need to develop a kind of urban air mobility eco-system, as ‘going it alone’ will not be an option for any of the players.” But if successful, the first ‘partnership’ to make it all happen will be the forerunner of the birth of a sensational new market, and a huge advance for the air transportation industry. According to the study, “the winners in this exciting new market will be the ones who approach its complex, interdisciplinary needs in close collaboration”.

Why it’s important: Economically, the study conducted by Roland Berger and the Aviary Project represents the potential opportunity to open a lucrative new market. Technologically, the future implementation of airborne taxi services represents a revolutionary development in the transportation industry.

Sources // Roland Berger

Utah and Malaysia are starting to invest in Urban Air Mobility for their cities, with Utah predicting a 2023 start to the industry.

Utah envisions that soon autonomous, passenger carrying aerial vehicles will populate its skies. For now, Utah is preparing for this future through partnerships with local UAV companies and entities, such as Desert UAS, which builds the economic development of rural lands through facilitating Utah’s UAS services. Desert is a non-profit funded partly by the Ogden City government

Jared Esselman, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT)’s Director of Aeronautics, has said: “We may see a new method of air transportation in the next five years and we are working to ensure Utah is ready for it…Industry analysts project that urban air mobility will be integrated by 2023.” Esselman explains that Utah future transportation system will include not only roads, bridges, trails, and sidewalks, but also aerial infrastructure (UAVs, software, radar, etc.) that will comprise the “highways in the sky.”

A photo of the Utah UAS test range

Malaysia meanwhile has claimed to have already made a prototype air taxi with aid from the private sector, saying that they will showcase the vehicle to the public later this year. Malaysia plans to locally source the design and production of the prototype but for help with safety issues from international consultants.

“The prototype is ready. It is up to the private sector whether they want to use it,” Entrepreneur Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof said at a press conference on February 26th. “Malaysia has the skillset to excel in the field of aerospace, drone, UAV and the national car, and we need to use our skillset because the bottom line is we want to be a producing nation.”

Why it’s important: With Malaysia developing a UAV prototype and Utah investing in UAV infrastructure development, the UAM industry takes steps forward the world over. UAM is not just a topic on the minds of countries in Europe and the U.S, but on those of every country worldwide. With so many countries investing in the industry, indications of booming growth only continue in their prevalence.

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Source // Mashable, ChannelNewsAsia, UtahPolicy.com, Desert UAS, Ehang, and Open Access Government.

Frankfurt Airport is partnering with Volocopter in building the ground infrastructure and operations for electric air taxi services.

Frankfurt Airport and Volocopter envision passengers using Volocopter air taxis to transition from other transportation hubs to the Frankfurt Airport, and vice Versa. The current focus is planning for smooth passenger handling on the ground and efficient integration into the existing transport infrastructure. The two companies will examine these cases with the potential integration of a Volocopter Port.

With Volocopter ports, Frankfurt Airport hopes to place themselves at the forefront of modern transport. Anke Giesen, COO at Frankfurt Airport, said: “We want to be the first airport in Europe to harness the potential of electric air taxis in partnership with pioneer Volocopter – for the benefit of our passengers and the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main region. This partnership underscores Fraport AG’s role as a key driver of innovation in diverse fields.”

A Volocopter 2X prototype at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2017

Volocopter has already completed successful test flights in Dubai and has also signed on with Singapore for intra-city demonstration and test flights later this year. Said Florian Reuter, CEO Volocopter GmbH:

“Providing the ideal connection between the city center and the airport poses a huge challenge for the world’s major cities. Together with Fraport AG, we are excited to pioneer the implementation of an air taxi service at one of Europe’s most important airports. We will be tapping into Fraport’s wealth of experience to integrate the Volocopter Service safely and efficiently into the complex array of processes required at a major international airport.”

Volocopter has also recently been the subject of other infrastructure integration examinations, including one by a design firm in the UK. Volcopter’s original vision for its port featured a conveyer belt system which would allow for quick storage and battery cell switching:

Why it’s important: The Frankfurt International Airport is one of the many companies the world over beginning to integrate electric air taxi services into their building designs. Others include Paramount World Center in Miami, BLADE, the VRCO landing pad in the UK, the Taskers residential development in Australia, and more. These developments indicate that building UAM infrastructure will likely be nearly as great an industry as manufacturing the vehicles themselves.

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