16 February 2022
Drone company Skyports has made two key moves to develop its operations. First, it has taken over Falcon Heliport in east London. Second, the company is working with Argyll and Bute Council to develop an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Innovation logistics hub at Oban Airport.
The council has received £170,000 govt funding towards the hub which includes a ‘vertiport’ vertical takeoff and landing area and hangar operated by Skyports.
“The Oban Airport hub will be a high-tech base for electrically-powered drones to transport medicines, biological samples and cargo between islands and the mainland,” said a statement from the council.
Alex Brown, director drone services at Skyports, added, “We have been working with Oban Airport to look at how permanent drone operations can service the highlands and islands.”
Skyports London Heliport in east London. Top: Proposed drone centre at Oban Airport. Images: Skyports
Skyports plans to operate both helicopters and eVTOL air taxis from its new acquisition in east London, close to the Canary Wharf financial district. The heliport has been renamed Skyports London Heliport.
Damian Kysely, Head of Europe & Middle East at Skyports, said, “The acquisition demonstrates our ambition to deliver a network of operational landing sites for eVTOLs and our commitment to making the UK a leader in decarbonisation of domestic aviation.
“The heliport also provides us with an important live operating environment in which we can safely develop and test our vertiport systems, collect operational data and mature our vertiport technologies.”
