Skyports to build vertiport for eVTOLs at Bicester Aerodrome

Bicester Aerodrome is to have its own ‘vertiport’ for electric air taxis provided by drone specialists Skyports.

The vertiport is expected to be operating by the end of 2024 and will be located adjacent to Bicester’s existing grass runways.

One of the users is expected to be UK eVTOL developer Vertical Aerospace who will be conducting demo flights and take part in testing the ground infrastructure.

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Skyports brings experience to the Bicester vertiport. In 2022, Skyports launched a ‘Living Lab’ terminal in the USA with eVTOL developer Joby Aviation, and another in Paris, France. The UK vertiport design, submitted to Cherwell District Council, will be similar to those.

Duncan Walker, chief executive officer of Skyports, said, “Our vertiport at Bicester Motion is ideally located to serve as a central hub for the UK’s advanced air mobility industry.

“The facility will be employed by Skyports and our strategic partners to test and refine all aspects of our ground technology and operations within a UK context. This will also be a key location for early demonstration flights in the UK and will help to pave the way for permanent operations in the future.”

Daniel Geoghegan, chief executive of Bicester Motion which operates the airfield, added, “This news reflects the next chapter in Bicester Motion’s evolution of aviation and presents the opportunity for Bicester and the county to be at the forefront of this exciting pioneering industry.”

Features of the vertiport include:

• A terminal
• Passenger facilities such as access control gates, weight and balance optimisation, and identity validation, verification and screening, and a  passenger lounge
• Operations room equipped with Skyports’ suite of Vertiport Automation System (VAS) technology to enable high throughput aircraft operations
• Situational awareness module to provide visualisation tools for comprehensive airspace and vertiport perimeter monitoring. The airside area will comprise a single final approach and take-off area and one stand.