Munich Airport International (MAI) and Urban-Air Port Ltd., are to collaborate in developing eVTOL ground infrastructure and airport operations that facilitate the vertical take-off and landing of electric air taxis expected to be operational by the middle of the decade. The collaboration will couple MAI’s airport knowledge and operational experience with Urban-Air Port’s ground infrastructure technology and solutions,.
Urban-Air Port is currently deploying its ‘Air One’ program – a fully operational and integrated airport for drones and eVTOL that interlinks air mobility with ground transportation in a multimodal hub.
Air One will be located in a downtown setting and first be presented to the industry and the general public in Coventry, UK, in Spring 2022.
The collaboration will see MAI bring both its aviation and non-aviation expertise to the planning, development and operation of Air One, creating critical synergies for the successful introduction and operation of urban-air ports.
Dr. Ralf Gaffal, MAI’s Managing Director, says: “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 program 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.”
“This collaboration with Munich Airport International, the ‘5-Star Standard’ in airport operations 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,” adds Ricky Sandhu, Founder & Executive Chairman at Urban-Air Port®. “Together, we strive to play a major role in shaping the future of urban air mobility and to equip and adapt the aviation industry to meet the needs of the coming decades.”
Besides the ‘Air One’ program, both parties will collaborate 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.
