Skyportz has launched an air taxi manufacturing hub and landing pad in Qld at Australian Advanced Manufacturing Centre of Excellence in Petrie...

<div class="row" data-reactroot=""><div class="cell cs12 cx12"><div class="row ci"><div class="cell cs12 cx12"><div class="ci cl"><p>Flying taxis could transport athletes around the 2032 Brisbane Olympics with the first landing site chosen and plans to manufacture the aircraft in Queensland unveiled.</p><p>Skyportz announced its plans to create a transport hub north of Brisbane in Moreton Bay at the Air Taxi World Congress in London.</p><p>The plans details the hub, the Australian Advanced Manufacturing Centre of Excellence (AACME), which is expected to be completed by 2023.</p><p>The development, headed up by Venlo Investments, will transform a 3ha site within <a href="https://www.theurbandeveloper.com/articles/moreton-bay-innovation-hub">The Mill</a> at Moreton Bay based in Petrie, near the new Sunshine Coast University Campus. </p><p>Skyportz chief executive Clem Newton-Brown said they had been accumulating sites since 2018 and have 400 property partners ready to build “mini airports” across the country. </p><p>“There is strong political support to develop a new era in clean, green electric aviation in Australia, however, we are waiting on federal standards and new state regulations to be developed before we can proceed to building a network,” Newton-Brown said.</p><p>“For this reason we are focusing initially on existing aviation infrastructure and places where it is possible to get a permit for a helipad which can transition into a future Skyportz. </p><p>“The AACME site was already proposing a helipad so this partnership has enabled us to bring forward our plans.”</p></div></div></div><div class="row ci"><div class="cell cs12 cx12"><div class="ci cl"><div><picture><img src="https://tud-prod-tudmedia-oj9w2zshuo0o.s3.amazonaws.com/raw/images/03519723-6643-4ca9-b2f2-3e49cc1228f7.jpg" width="800"/></picture><div><span style="align-content:center;opacity:0.8">▲ The Mill is a 460-hectare state priority development area and includes the Petrie Town Centre, Petrie Rail Station and the former Amcor Petrie Paper Mill site.</span></div></div></div></div></div><div class="row ci"><div class="cell cs12 cx12"><div class="ci cl"><p><br>Newton-Brown, a former deputy lord mayor of Melbourne and Yarra River water taxi service provider, said they were also in the process of identifying sites near the Olympic venues to join the network of facilities.</p><p>AAMCE director Ty Hermans said the site was perfectly suited to become a major transport hub and support the future of air mobility and was located near a major metro train station.</p><p>“We are providing for it as part of our design phase that we are currently in at the moment,” Hermans told <em>The Urban Developer</em>.</p><p>“Obviously it is subject to various approvals in the future. </p><p>“To us it makes perfect sense that the most advanced manufacturing centre in Australia should include the most advanced transport system possible in its design.</p><p>“Brisbane is busily preparing for the Olympic Games in 2032 which will provide a great opportunity for the city to embrace a new form of transportation and showcase it to the world.”</p><p>Hermans said the development was quickly gaining international interest and would be focused on commercial manufacturing rather than innovation. </p><p>The announcement follows <a href="https://www.theurbandeveloper.com/articles/vicinity-pilots-drone-delivery-model">Vicinity Centres strategy</a> to increase its drone delivery program across the country for retail purchases.</p><p>However, the Skyportz vehicles operate on a larger scale with the company <a href="https://www.theurbandeveloper.com/articles/vicinity-pilots-drone-delivery-model">signing an agreement</a> with Electra.aero to buy 100 vehicles with the ability to lift up to 800kg expected to service Melbourne.</p></div></div></div></div></div>

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<div class="row" data-reactroot=""><div class="cell cs12 cx12"><div class="row ci"><div class="cell cs12 cx12"><div class="ci cl"><p>The urban air mobility market is heating up as two Australian cities vie to become the first international test city for Uber’s “flying car” trials. </p><p>The ridesharing giant will make the decision on which city will be home to the first international Uber air market test site on Tuesday — the first day of Uber’s two-day Elevate Summit held in Washington D.C.</p><p>Sydney and Melbourne have been shortlisted, along with Paris, Sao Paolo, Mumbai and Tokyo. </p><p>Uber’s ambitious electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) plans were first <a href="https://theurbandeveloper.com/articles/uber-plans-flying-taxi-service-by-2023">unveiled</a> in 2016, with the company <a href="https://theurbandeveloper.com/articles/uber-air-launches-skyports-the-helipads-of-the-future-">announcing</a> it was on the hunt for a third test city last year.</p><p>Dallas and Los Angeles were flagged as the initial launch locations, with trial flights commencing in 2020 and a full-service by 2023.</p><p>Speaking to <em>The Urban Developer</em> before he jets off to the Uber Elevate conference in Washington D.C., Skyportz chief executive, and former deputy lord mayor, Clem Newton-Brown says that the “flying taxi” reality is much closer than people think. </p><p>“This is not fantasy — there are already flying prototypes being developed by some of the world’s largest aeronautical companies such as Bell and Airbus.</p><p>“There is no reason why we can’t be flying eVTOLs from the City to Melbourne airport, regional tourism destinations and major events within the next few years.</p><p>“If you have existing helipad infrastructure it makes it very easy to make that available with upgrades for the technical requirements for VTOLS.”</p><p>Newton-Brown is leading the Melbourne bid and has met with Uber executives, facilitating meetings with government ministers and the City of Melbourne.</p><p>The first Skyportz <a href="https://skyportz.com/#passenger-skyportz">landing infrastructure</a> is proposed in a joint venture with Microflite at an existing helipad at Batman Park. </p><p>“Melbourne is the only city in Australia where you can land helicopters in the central city and we are well placed to provide the infrastructure requirements for Uber Air,” Newton-Brown said.</p><p>Related: <a href="https://theurbandeveloper.com/articles/uber-air-launches-skyports-the-helipads-of-the-future-">Uber Launches ‘Skyports’ the Helipads of the Future</a></p></div></div></div><div class="row ci"><div class="cell cs12 cx12"><div class="ci cl"><div><picture><img src="https://tud-prod-tudmedia-oj9w2zshuo0o.s3.amazonaws.com/raw/images/22b3d669-a5d3-4d9e-a7c0-3d862a26c885.jpg" width="920"/></picture><div><span style="align-content:center;opacity:0.8">▲ Melbourne is shortlisted for Uber Air’s first international test market.</span></div></div></div></div></div><div class="row ci"><div class="cell cs12 cx12"><div class="ci cl"><h2><br><strong>The “flying car” reality</strong></h2><p>Uber isn’t on its own in developing autonomous airborne taxis — Google co-founder Larry Page has been <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/12/business/dealbook/flying-taxis-larry-page.html">covertly testing</a> air taxis in New Zealand, while German start-up Lilium recently <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/05/lilium-cheap-green-rides-flying-cars-arent-far-away/589648/">completed</a> the first test of its five-seater buzzing jet. </p><p>On-demand aviation relies on building landing infrastructure and working with developers, governments and regulators to service this next-generation mode of transportation.</p><p>“Some of the largest aeronautical companies in the world are putting hundreds of millions of dollars into this,” Newton-Brown said.</p><p>“The technology is not what will be what holds it up — regulation, social license and the necessary infrastructure will hold it up.</p><p>“It is inevitable that CASA will be certifying flying machines of this type in the near future.” </p><p>Newton-Brown is already in discussions with property developers to build Skyportz pads on the roof of developments — before the aircraft actually exists.</p><p>“This way the decks can be used for other purposes until they can be used [for aircraft].</p><p>“There’s certainly an interest in it from a marketing perspective, developers are looking at it as future-proofing their buildings.”</p></div></div></div><div class="row ci"><div class="cell cs12 cx12"><div class="ci cl"><div><picture><img src="https://tud-prod-tudmedia-oj9w2zshuo0o.s3.amazonaws.com/raw/images/437f3709-3588-49fc-b1cf-531b2a804d15.gif" width="800"/></picture><div><span style="align-content:center;opacity:0.8">▲ German start-up Lilium has launched its first prototype in Munich. Image: Lilium</span></div></div></div></div></div><div class="row ci"><div class="cell cs12 cx12"><div class="ci cl"><p><br>In May, Uber <a href="http://fortune.com/2018/05/09/uber-flying-cars-taxis/">announced</a> that it is working with five companies to develop the flying car prototype — on track for its pipeline of 2020 trials and commercial trips by 2023.  </p><p>The company has promised that the concept will be an “affordable form of daily transportation for the masses, even less expensive than owning a car”.</p><p>In the interim the company is <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/05/travel/uber-helicopter-nyc-jfk.html">pursuing</a> an on-demand helicopter service, “Uber Copter” in New York City, where passengers will be able to book flights through Uber’s existing app to nearby airports from 9 July.</p><p>The Uber Elevate team has spent the last year working with the shortlisted countries to determine the first international Uber Air market, with the decision announced Tuesday afternoon Washington D.C. time (Wednesday morning Australian-time).</p><p>“Starting in 2023, Uber customers will be able to push a button and get a flight on-demand with Uber Air in Dallas, Los Angeles and a new international market.” </p><p>As the decision day looms, Newton-Brown is confident that Melbourne is well-placed to become Uber Air’s first international test city.</p><p>“Melbourne’s in a position where we have a government that’s keen, a stable electricity grid that can handle the demand and the topography is relatively flat and suited to a trial phase.” </p></div></div></div></div></div>

The urban air mobility market is heating up as two Australian cities vie to become the first international test city for Uber’s “flying car” trials.  

Developers and owners need to reassess commercial property portfolios for the potential to diversify into electric aviation, says Skyportz director Clem Newton-Brown.

<div class="row" data-reactroot=""><div class="cell cs12 cx12"><div class="row ci"><div class="cell cs12 cx12"><div class="ci cl"><p>Prior to Uber Air’s announcement that Melbourne had been selected as the <a href="https://www.theurbandeveloper.com/articles/uber-air-melbourne-flying-car">third official pilot city </a>for its “flying taxi” fleet, Skyportz had been advancing the case for Australia to be a world leader in the emerging clean, green, electric air taxi industry.</p><p>McKinsey forecasts the industry will be worth more than a trillion dollars by 2040 and the race to get commercial type certification for these new aircraft is well under way.</p><p>Some of the biggest aviation companies in the world have flying prototypes including Boeing, Bell, Airbus and Embraer. </p><p>Automotive companies such as Hyundai, Toyota and Rolls Royce are also in the race as well as new aviation disruptors such as Joby, Lilium, Volocopter, Archer and Electra Aero.</p><p>The investment into the aircraft frontrunners stands at almost $10 billion and there is no doubt that we will see some of the 300-plus start-ups get certified in the next few years.</p><p>However, the missing piece of the puzzle is where these aircraft are going to land. </p><p>To fulfil their potential, we need these aircraft to land in places where helicopters can’t go—think business parks, manufacturing hubs, industrial land, shopping centres, car parking garages and eventually city rooftops.</p><p>Skyportz has quietly amassed a stable of more than 400 sites across Australia in partnership with various industrial and commercial property players such as Secure Parking. </p><p>These sites are ready to be activated as soon as the land use planning rules allow.</p><p>In a major boost to the burgeoning industry in Australia, the federal government and the Victorian government this week signed a memorandum of understanding to foster the long-term growth of the advanced air mobility industry for both passenger and freight services.</p></div></div></div><div class="row ci"><div class="cell cs12 cx12"><div class="ci cl"><div><picture><img src="https://tud-prod-tudmedia-oj9w2zshuo0o.s3.amazonaws.com/raw/images/3cb797f1-320e-4ee8-888b-f8f376048539.jpg" width="862"/></picture><div><span style="align-content:center;opacity:0.8">▲ The electric aircraft sector is to be worth over a trillion dollars by 2040.</span></div></div></div></div></div><div class="row ci"><div class="cell cs12 cx12"><div class="ci cl"><p><br>The federal government has already committed $35.7 million to developing air taxi and drone freight through the National Emerging Aviation Policy and the Victorian government has committed $12 million to the new Swinburne Airhub which aims to advance capability across aerospace, defence, software development and advanced manufacturing. </p><p>CASA and Air Services Australia have been working on developing a whole new era in aviation for some years already.</p><p>The federal government is likely to enter similar MOUs with other states soon.</p><p>It is incumbent on state governments to move swiftly to amend planning schemes to allow these new “mini airports” to be established in areas which are convenient—no more driving to a capital city airport to get on a plane, the journey will be able to start at your local landing spot. </p><p>Regional towns will be able to be connected to cities without the need to pass through a major airport.</p><p></p><p>In addition to local air taxi developer AMSL aero, the US-based Electra Aero and Embraer’s Eve have announced plans for Australian operations. </p><p>More will come now that we have indicated a commitment to strong policy action. There is a global race well under way and the capital will flow to jurisdictions which have the policy settings enabling this industry to flourish.</p><p>For property developers it will mean that a whole new land use will be possible which will add amenity to attract tenants—air taxi landing sites built into mixed-use and residential developments and drone freight services becoming the central hub at industrial and business parks.</p><p>If you have previously dismissed this emerging industry as science fiction, it is now very clear that Australia is committed to being a world leader in this space.</p><p>Now is the time to reassess commercial property portfolios for the potential to diversify into electric aviation.</p><p></p></div></div></div><div class="row ci"><div class="cell cs12 cx12"><div class="ci cl"><hr/></div></div></div><div class="row ci"><div class="cell cs12 cx12"><div class="ci cl"><h2>Author</h2><p>Clem Newton-Brown<br>Skyportz director</p></div></div></div></div></div>

Developers and owners need to reassess commercial property portfolios for the potential to diversify into electric aviation, says Skyportz director...

SKYPORTZ