Skyports Infrastructure has unveiled designs for its first UK vertiport testbed for the electric air taxi industry, alongside partners Bicester Motion, the 444-acre future mobility estate in Bicester, Oxfordshire, and Vertical Aerospace, a global aerospace and technology company pioneering zero-emissions aviation through the development of electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft.
The images have been released as the project receives planning permission from Cherwell District Council. It is the first UK vertiport infrastructure proposal to secure planning consent.
The images show the vertiport positioned adjacent to Bicester Motion’s existing general aviation grass runways, where it will continue the airfield’s long history of aerospace innovation. The vertiport will include a compact 160 sq. m passenger terminal which will be a critical facility for testing ground infrastructure and flight operations and will play a significant role in enabling the next generation of electric, low noise aviation in the UK.
The new designs showcase Vertical’s latest VX4 prototype, which will be the first electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to fly at the Skyports vertiport. The VX4 is designed to be piloted, carry four passengers and has a range of up to 100 miles. The aircraft successfully completed its first tethered piloted flight in July and is now progressing through its robust piloted test flight programme. Vertical will use the Skyports vertiport to conduct demonstration flights and test key procedures ahead of commercial launch.
The new renders also depict the interior of the vertiport, which will be equipped with Skyports’ proprietary vertiport technology solutions, including its Resource Management and Scheduling System (RMSS) and its Vertiport Automation System (VAS).
