advanced air mobility
the future of aviation
The shift to sustainable transportation is imperative across society, notably in aviation, often criticised for carbon emissions. The Aviation industry has perfected travelling long distances between airports for millions of people. Where there’s a gap in the market is a form of air travel that focuses on shorter distances; whether it’s to neotiate congested urban environment, or completing end-to-end journeys that currently end at the airport. This form of travel will revolutionise air transport for the next generation of traveller.
What we see happening is the democratization of short journey air travel; sky buses, sky taxis available for all travellers, not just the elite.
theoretical schemes
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London Skybus
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MElbourne vertiport
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dubai vertiport
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Pascall+Watson has been involved in AAM transportation infrastructure and urban planning for over seven years.
This began as internal studies, case study projects and Theoretical Schemes for AAM, eventually leading to an internal competition for a site that utilised London’s existing helicopter operation routes.
Since then, we’ve looked at AAM’s potential relationship with our more conventional airport ventures, as well as explorations of both regional and urban AAM networks.
We were involved in the SkyBus project in London that was funded by the UK Government under their Future Flight Initiative, allowing us to develop a lot of detail around major vertiport developments.
We also led the Waterloo eVTOL Hub Vertiport project in collaboration with EA Maven, aimed to explore the potential of incorporating a new form of personal and public transport into key urban locations. Focusing on addressing last-mile journey issues, the project targeted primary transportation interchanges, such as the Waterloo underground and overland rail station, as ideal sites for these innovative Vertiports.
More recently we’ve taken our skill sets developed under the government funding and are working alongside new partners such as Skyportz (Australia) and CEA in developing smaller vertiports that once again exploit existing urban helicopter operations in Melbourne Australia.
Our extensive aviation work in western Saudi Arabia has led us to seek out exciting new relationships and opportunities there. We will soon be announcing some big news with Skyports.
theoretical schemes
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Envisioning a network of aerial taxis connected to key transport hubs, Pascall+Watson invited their team of architects and designers to develop fresh ideas for integrating Urban aerial transport into London's urban landscape.
Our architects and designers conceived Vertiports as platforms where passengers could board and disembark from eVTOL (electrical vertical take-off & landing) vehicles.
These Vertiports were designed to be part of an overall transport hub concept within the London Waterloo area, utilising existing sky corridors like helicopters do.
Key factors considered during the design phase included the urban fabric, connectivity to existing infrastructure, and promotion of holistic sustainable electric transport within the hub.
LONDON - UK
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Pascall+Watson are part of the Skybus project team, led by GKN Aerospace, collaborating with Swanson Aviation Consultancy and Connected Places Catapult, to identify the unique opportunities for air ‘buses’ to operate alongside air taxis in the rapidly growing urban air mobility sector.
Studies to date have identified significant opportunities for air buses to feasibly operate alongside air taxis in future air mobility transport networks. A successful zero emissions mass transit system in the air would ease congestion on the road network, reducing overall travel time, cost and emissions for all travelers.
Unlike other eVTOL concepts that focus on 2–6 seat options geared toward the affluent class, Skybus envisions a larger vehicle capable of carrying more passengers to reduce costs per mile and ticket price. Improving load factor sensitivity, this eVTOL concept aims to make Urban Air Mobility (UAM) more accessible for urban and rural/regional transport.
melbourne - australia
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Pascall+Watson partnered with Skyportz Australia to design a vertiport on Melbourne's Yarra River at Batman Park. The project aligns with the city's Greenline Masterplan, revitalizing the riverfront. Located at an existing heliport managed by Microflite, the vertiport caters to 4-6 seater air taxis, facilitating transfers to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and offering tourism flights to destinations like the Yarra Valley wine region. The terminal, designed to be modest yet inspiring, aims to make air travel accessible while showcasing the potential of this innovative mode of transportation.
dubai - uae
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Skyports Infrastructure (Skyports), has signed a Definitive Agreement with Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) and all-electric aircraft company Joby Aviation to launch passenger air taxi services in Dubai by 2026.
The agreement, signed at the World Governments Summit in Dubai and endorsed by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed is the first time globally that a transport authority, vertiport operator, aircraft manufacturer and relevant regulatory bodies have partnered to enable AAM. It will see Dubai become the first location with a commercial, city-wide electric air taxi service.
We'll soon be announcing some big news!