- The first network of infrastructures for electric vertical take-off aircraft planned in Spain aims to reduce car trips, road congestion and CO2 emissions
- The plan’s economic viability hinges on access to the European Recovery Fund, for which it has already begun the procedures with the Ministries of Industry and Ecological Transition
Ferrovial Airports, a leading airport infrastructure management company, has begun the process to develop a network of more than 20 interconnected 100% sustainable vertiports in Spain. The company aims to design, build and operate all the infrastructure that is required to operate electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, also known as flying taxis.
The project’s financial viability hinges on access to the European Recovery Funds, for which it has already initiated the necessary procedures by submitting replies to the Expressions of Interest at the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Ecological Transition.
To implement the project, Ferrovial Airports wants to have the support of Europe’s leading eVTOL developers, such as Airbus, Lilium and Tecnalia, the latter a Spanish company.
It is also working with Spanish company DatActionS, a Big Data specialist, to identify optimal locations and estimate user demand.
Ferrovial Airports is developing the vertiport design in cooperation with Spanish multinational IDOM, a leader in transport consultancy and engineering, to create an infrastructure adapted to passenger transport using electric vehicles.
All the infrastructure and services will make use of green energy in order to attain the highest standards of sustainability that are envisaged. It is also planned to provide the vertiports with suitable areas for parking both eVTOLs and terrestrial electric vehicles, as well as charging stations.
The development of the new vertiports, which will provide fast, safe connections between cities, will displace trips currently made by car and reduce congestion and CO2 emissions while also more than halving journey times.
“At Ferrovial Airports we are committed to providing new sustainable mobility alternatives that will enable us to decongest intercity traffic and offer a fast, comfortable passenger experience.”
This is not the company’s first vertiport project. Ferrovial recently signed a framework agreement for the development of a network of more than 10 vertiports in the United States, covering strategic areas in the main cities of Florida. The next location, in southern Florida, is expected to be announced in the spring.
“Vertiports represent a major step forward in achieving sustainable infrastructures for air mobility in the immediate future. Spain is well placed to be at the forefront of electric mobility and has the market potential to achieve it.”
Ferrovial Airports has over 20 years’ experience of investing, developing and operating at 33 airports around the world, including the United States, Australia and Chile. It currently has four airports in the United Kingdom. With a 25% stake in Heathrow Airport, it is the airport’s core shareholder and industry partner, and it owns 50% of Glasgow, Aberdeen and Southampton airports.
