Urban Air Port® Air-One® has been selected as a winner of the UK government’s Future Flight Challenge.
The Future Flight Challenge has been created to develop aviation infrastructure and systems that enable the next generation of electric and autonomous air vehicles. Air-One® is a world-first fully-operational hub for future electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft – such as cargo drones and air taxis – to be launched in Coventry later this year.
Urban Air Port® develops fully autonomous innovative zero emission infrastructure for future air mobility. The ambitious Air-One® project will bring industry, government and the public together to demonstrate how to unlock the potential of sustainable urban air mobility to reduce congestion, cut air pollution and holistically decarbonise transport while providing seamless passenger journeys and deliveries.
NASA predicts that urban-air mobility in the US alone could be worth up to $500 billion USD (£375 billion) in the near-term and states that a significant barrier to market growth is the lack of infrastructure1, an issue which Urban Air Port® was established to resolve.
The Urban Air Mobility Division of Hyundai Motor Group has chosen Urban Air Port® as its priority infrastructure partner to support the global growth of this new sector. The South Korean company plans to create its own eVTOL aircraft and support the broader urban air mobility eco-system. Hyundai Motor Group is supporting the development of Air-One® as part of its plan to commercialise its aircraft by 2028.
“Cars need roads. Trains need rails. Planes need airports. eVTOLs will need Urban Air Ports. Over a hundred years ago, the world’s first commercial flight took off, creating the modern connected world. Urban Air Port® will improve connectivity across our cities, boost productivity and help the UK to take the lead in a whole new clean global economy. Flying cars used to be a futuristic flight of fancy. Air-One® will bring clean urban air transport to the masses and unleash a new airborne world of zero emission mobility” Ricky Sandhu, Founder and Executive Chairman of Urban Air Port®