An exciting new collaboration between Munich Airport International (MAI) and Urban-Air Port Ltd (UAP) will see the two organisations join forces and share their expertise to develop eVTOL ground infrastructure and airport operations that will facilitate the vertical take-off and landing of electric air taxis, which are expected to be operational by the middle of the decade.
The pairing of the two organisations will also provide a roadmap for efficient and sustainable flight operations.
UAP is currently deploying its ‘Air One’ programme, a fully operational and integrated airport for drones and eVTOL that interlinks air mobility with ground transportation in a multimodal hub. Located in a downstream setting in Coventry, UK, the first Air One is due to open in spring 2022, with the goal of demonstrating an ultra-compact, rapidly deployable, multi-functional operations hub for manned and unmanned vehicles providing aircraft command and control, charging and refuelling, cargo and passenger loading and other associated services.
The aviation industry is constantly evolving. While Urban Air Mobility was a vague vision just a few years ago, this trend is within reach today. We as Munich Airport International see great potential in this new mode of transportation and have developed an advanced air mobility programme to actively shape the future. Partnering with Urban-Air Port allows us to join forces in designing, implementing and operating scalable and sustainable urban-air ports around the world.
Dr. Ralf Gaffal, MAI’s Managing Director.
In addition to the Air One programme, both parties will also partner on longer term projects and opportunities with an initial focus on use cases and markets which are expected to emerge in the next couple of years.
Commenting on how Urban-Air Port is working to develop the full ecosystem to enable air mobility to take flight by building strategic partnerships with mobility and industry partners across the world, Ricky Sandhu, Founder & Executive Chairman at Urban-Air Port said: “This collaboration with Munich Airport International allows us to jointly develop our expertise in airport development and operations. Moreover, we can lay the foundations for a globally integrated urban air transport network. Together, we strive to play a major role in shaping the future of urban mobility and to equip and adapt the aviation industry to meet the needs of the coming decades.”
