Photo: Skyportz
Have you ever thought of setting up a vertiport on your property? If it sounds like Sci-Fi, you should teleport to the International Paris Air Show to see this contraption up closely. An Australian startup revealed a futuristic Vertiport-in-a-Box, the affordable and practical alternative to large-scale designs meant to be integrated at airports.
In the near future, anyone could own a dedicated take-off and landing site for eVTOLs (electric vertical take-off and landing), known as a vertiport. At least, this is how Skyportz envisions the future of AAM (Advanced Air Mobility). The Australian infrastructure developer wants to bring AAM innovations closer to the people. Vertiports should be small, modular structures that can be easily installed on private property.
The company unveiled the first of its modular designs at the Paris Air Show. It's basically a monocoque aluminum shell, available in three sizes. Due to the modular design, property owners who have more space can join all three versions into a larger model. This Vertiport-in-a-Box can be easily delivered anywhere in the world in a shipping container. Best of all, it's not just another fancy concept but a proven model, ready to be built.
Some may wonder what will land at these vertiports since no electric air taxi is officially ready for business. It's true; the Skyportz modular vertiport will have to wait for these aircraft to become certified, just like any other infrastructure project in the field.
However, there's a catch. The Vertiport-in-a-Box was specifically designed to be used for other purposes in the meantime. In other words, it's flexible enough to function as an unconventional bar or a meeting room, for instance – just think of all the quirky names owners could come up with.
Customers also have the option to retrofit an existing building, converting it to a vertiport. In this case, the vertiport's battery back and solar panels could also power the host building and were specifically designed for that.
Skyportz is working with another Australian company, Electro.aero, to equip these modular structures with high-powered chargers and battery systems developed explicitly for future heavy-duty eVTOLs. Other partnerships focus on features like traffic management tools, booking services, and last-mile logistics for future commercial operations.
Skyportz wants to speed things up, essentially. Until official regulations for large-scale eVTOL infrastructure are in place, and electric air taxis are free to operate, this "entry-level" version is a way to break the ice without huge costs or any risks.
The Vertiport-in-a-Box claims to be affordable for private property owners, with pricing for the current design starting at €99,000 ($108,000). This modular structure can cost as much as €235,000 ($256,600) plus the fit-out. If you'd like to dabble into AAM operations, stay tuned – Skyportz will introduce more designs in this modular series, with different price points and potential applications, throughout this year.
The company unveiled the first of its modular designs at the Paris Air Show. It's basically a monocoque aluminum shell, available in three sizes. Due to the modular design, property owners who have more space can join all three versions into a larger model. This Vertiport-in-a-Box can be easily delivered anywhere in the world in a shipping container. Best of all, it's not just another fancy concept but a proven model, ready to be built.
Some may wonder what will land at these vertiports since no electric air taxi is officially ready for business. It's true; the Skyportz modular vertiport will have to wait for these aircraft to become certified, just like any other infrastructure project in the field.
However, there's a catch. The Vertiport-in-a-Box was specifically designed to be used for other purposes in the meantime. In other words, it's flexible enough to function as an unconventional bar or a meeting room, for instance – just think of all the quirky names owners could come up with.
Customers also have the option to retrofit an existing building, converting it to a vertiport. In this case, the vertiport's battery back and solar panels could also power the host building and were specifically designed for that.
Skyportz is working with another Australian company, Electro.aero, to equip these modular structures with high-powered chargers and battery systems developed explicitly for future heavy-duty eVTOLs. Other partnerships focus on features like traffic management tools, booking services, and last-mile logistics for future commercial operations.
Skyportz wants to speed things up, essentially. Until official regulations for large-scale eVTOL infrastructure are in place, and electric air taxis are free to operate, this "entry-level" version is a way to break the ice without huge costs or any risks.
The Vertiport-in-a-Box claims to be affordable for private property owners, with pricing for the current design starting at €99,000 ($108,000). This modular structure can cost as much as €235,000 ($256,600) plus the fit-out. If you'd like to dabble into AAM operations, stay tuned – Skyportz will introduce more designs in this modular series, with different price points and potential applications, throughout this year.
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