UK’s first vertiport to take off in Oxford

Skyports Infrastructure has been granted planning permission to develop the UK’s first vertiport testbed for the electric air taxi industry at Bicester Motion, Oxfordshire. The application was lodged with Cherwell District Council in March this year.  Bicester Motion is an independently run 444-acre estate dedicated to pioneering mobility technology. The vertiport will build on Bicester Motion’s strategy to continue to be at the forefront of airfield sector. The vertiport is being developed as part of the Advanced Mobility Ecosystem Consortium – a group of British aviation, technology and transportation organisations pioneering advanced air mobility in the UK, backed by the UK Research and Innovation Future Flight Challenge. Construction of the vertiport is due to start in autumn this year. It will be positioned adjacent to Bicester Motion’s general aviation grass runways. It will include a 1,722 sq ft passenger terminal which will be a used for testing ground infrastructure and flight operations. Skyports has partnered with Vertical Aerospace, the developer behind VX4 prototype, the first electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft to fly at the Skyports vertiport. VX4 is designed to be piloted, carry four passengers and have a range of up to 100 miles. The aircraft completed its first tethered piloted flight in July this year and is now progressing through its piloted test flight programme. Vertical will use the Skyports vertiport to conduct demonstration flights and test key procedures ahead of its commercial launch. Daniel Geoghegan, chief executive at Bicester Motion, said: “The vertiport green light enables us to continue to host aviation innovation and advance a world where sustainable and accessible electric aviation is in reach for all, with Bicester Motion at the centre.” Duncan Walker, chief executive at Skyports, said: “The tests and trials we conduct at this facility will be instrumental to the future of quiet, electric, vertical flight. Our vertiport at Bicester Motion will facilitate learnings and demonstrations that advance the adoption of advanced air mobility.” James Richmond, head of future flight and consortium lead at AtkinsRéalis, added: “The vertiport living lab will go beyond demonstrating flight procedures and will validate the entire ecosystem the partners have created from the ground up.” Image © Bicester Motion