German eVTOL specialists Volocopter, one of the leading urban air mobility (UAM) companies globally, has produced a comprehensive VoloPort handbook detailing the physical infrastructure required to support electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft operations.

The ‘landmark’ publication will be used by Volocopter partners to build UAM infrastructure, with specific instructions on design, construction, material use, infrastructure adaptability, and facility operations.  

The establishment of a ‘sustainable UAM ecosystem’ will require a ground-based infrastructure that Volocopter says will be just as critical to UAM operations as development of the aircraft. VoloPort’s solution to this challenge is a standardised, ready-made, and compact urban vertiport concept.

The company believes that this basic model can be adapted with little time and cost for various business sizes, target customer groups, and aircraft operations, requiring minimal infrastructure footprint, especially in densely populated urban settings. Its modular design, featuring a combination of prefabricated materials, allows construction to start as small as 25m x 25m (about twice the area of a tennis court). Additional landing pads and workspace can be implemented as required.  

The publication may influence the UAM market well beyond Volocopter’s customers, as it is one of the first comprehensive summaries of the expertise developed by the company over years of collaborations with numerous authorities, air operators, and institutions. 
 

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