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The group, including electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer Vertical Aerospace, received an industrial research grant for the £2.5m project.
Led by Atkins, it is expected to take 18 months and will include an assessment of the demand for air taxi services in the South West. It will also develop use cases for the technology and evaluate its integration and impact on the wider transport network, including the region’s airports, as well as the benefits to cities and residents. The group said it will “establish viable markets and business cases for these services and seek to understand public perceptions and attitudes towards eVTOL aircraft.”
The project will then culminate in a series of ‘full-system demonstrations’ in live airspace across the region.
James Richmond, advanced air mobility lead at Atkins, said: “As we look to the future of travel, it’s now more important than ever that we begin exploring more sustainable methods of transport within our increasingly populated cities.”
He added: “This an important and tangible step towards making advanced air mobility a reality, and by demonstrating that we can provide a case for air taxis, we could begin trialling these services as early as 2023.”
Bristol firm Vertical Aerospace will explore vehicle integration with its eVTOL air taxi. Its VA-1X vehicle is designed to hold one pilot and four passengers, with a range of 100 miles at 150mph. It has eight rotors, the front four of which tilt forward to enable winged flight.
Vic Terry, head of digital systems at Vertical Aerospace, said: “At Vertical, our ultimate aim is to make air travel green and accessible to everyone. This is a great opportunity to bring the consortium's products and services together, showcasing that air taxis are not reserved for science fiction but achievable to benefit both our cities and economy in the UK and around the world.”
Infrastructure provider Skyports will design, develop, operate and integrate physical infrastructure for safe and efficient air taxi services. Other consortium members include Altitude Angel and NATS, which will investigate unified traffic management solutions and the integration of conventional air traffic control. Cranfield University will lead on the communication systems required to enable flight, particularly within an urban environment.
While the feasibility studies and subsequent trials will be based in the South West, the project will also consider ‘scalability’ and application in other cities.
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