NACO Netherlands Airport Consultants signed a MoU with Urban-Air Port, making it the first specialist aviation planning consultancy to support UAP in exploring how its pioneering ground infrastructure technology can be integrated into airport masterplan projects around the world. NACO will further support UAP on airport land-use planning, regional vertiport network business modelling, eVTOL demand simulation and surface transport intermodal connectivity modelling. NACO and UAP will also explore special systems for the integration of UAP vertiports to support regulatory pathways for the first use cases: eVTOL flights to/from airports.
NACO recognises UAP' pioneering AirOne vertiport technology, industry-leading experience and proprietary technology as pivotal to the success of the wider adoption of vertiports at airports. UAP forecasts the total market for their vertiports at over $40 billion by 2050, with airports presenting a significant proportion of that market. The MoU follows the award winning test-bed installation in Coventry, UK, where UAP proved its technology to a global audience.
Andrea Wu, CEO, Urban-Air Port, commented: "This is a major milestone for Urban-Air Port® in terms of shaping the future of advanced air mobility, but also for us as a business. We passed the pilot stage with our successful build in Coventry, and we have demonstrated AirOne's commercial, and operational viability with our orders from the US and recognition from industry experts and regulatory bodies for safety. NACO is one of the world's best aviation planners and integrators, and as a valued partner, I'm delighted they see such great potential in UAPs technology and its relevance for airports around the world. I'm proud of what the team has achieved and excited to take UAP into its next phase – to enable the first routes to and from regional and international airports – paving the way with the best in the business."
Esther Kromhout, CEO, NACO, said: "We are thrilled to be exploring the possibilities around electric flight such as eVTOL with Urban-Air Port®. The team has a huge amount of experience in developing facilities for this kind of technology – particularly with the launch of the world's first fully operational vertiport in Coventry in the UK – and we look forward to supporting Urban-Air Port by bringing our global experience in airport masterplanning and urban mobility to help develop sustainable air transportation and intermodal solutions fit for the future"
Within its compact footprint, UAPs "Vertical Airfield" does the heavy lifting, allowing its "aircraft carrier" technology to create greater efficiencies in operation and turnaround times. It also provides enhanced safety for passengers and pilots from the special aerodynamic characteristics of eVTOL aircraft seeking certification from regulatory bodies such as UK's CAA, EASA and the FAA. The multimodal hub provides aircraft command and control, charging and refuelling, cargo and passenger facilities, as well as elevated take-off and landing with 360-degree situational awareness and substantial mitigation of ground effect and noise associated with eVTOL. This represents all the ground infrastructure necessary to support safer, quieter and more sustainable advanced air mobility.
Ricky Sandhu: "NACO has a deep understanding of the nuances of airport planning and masterplanning, and their experience in optimising operational efficiency for their traditional airport clients is second to none. This is precisely what we believe at UAP for our vertiport clients. Sustainability is core to both of our companies and must underpin the future of aviation in a meaningful way – this is why I'm personally thrilled to be working in closer partnership with the like-minded and immensely talented team at NACO to ensure we advance this sector in the right way, that is viable and holistically sustainable."
UAP's vertiports can be deployed in urban, suburban and even rural sites, but airports will likely become the first commercial locations. UAPs next gen AirOne is modular and designed to be tailored to provide safe, secure enclosure for a broad spectrum of climates. It is agnostic to aircraft type and charging / refueling system and provision for asymmetry in the corresponding flight schedule of the vertiports, in sync with the airports' main operations, so there are no limits to its global potential. UAP's leadership has been in discussion with clients around the world.
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