It has been 70 years since the Havilland DH.106 Comet, the first commercial flight, took to the skies. But the technical and legal requirements, among others, are such that, to date, travelling by flying vehicles in cities is an area reserved for a minority or science fiction novels. The advantages of achieving a true hive city would revolutionize travel. Together these benefits can give cities the accessibility that is needed to attract new economic opportunities.Urban air and public transportation is the quintessence of mobility without land limitations. ![]() It concludes that once UAM is well established with an extensive network of vertiports, it could serve as an interesting contributor to a mobility system of discrete and distributed modes that complement rail or road infrastructure.Ī mature network of vertiports could serve to connect disadvantaged areas of cities and remote areas without the need for expensive infrastructure could vastly improve emergency response times and could even allow ‘technological leapfrogging’ in developing countries, providing a transit network that is relatively inexpensive to create in cities that never developed extensive metro or tram systems. ![]() On a broader scale, the research investigates the potential of future UAM networks within cities, recognising that UAM should not seek to replace cities’ existing transport infrastructure. It’s a credit to Airbus that they are thinking about these issues in advance, and doing so in a way that will improve things in the meantime.” “But to reach this future will require many small steps. “As cities become denser and technologies improve, it becomes increasingly clear that the truly three-dimensional city – one that includes flying vehicles – is surely one of the city models of the future… a city where my mobility is at my balcony!” says Winy Maas, founding partner of MVRDV. In locations that are underdeveloped, vertiports can be designed as opportunity hubs with educational and healthcare facilities, or business incubators, for example, while in areas fractured by infrastructure such as roads or railway tracks, a vertiport can serve as a bridge connecting neighbourhoods. The research also considered the principles of transit-oriented development, not only by bringing airborne transport links, but also by integrating with other transport options to serve local surroundings and solve the problem of the “last mile”. Vertiports are thought of not just as stations, but also as hubs of renewable energy, data, and public amenities. The vertiports have been designed as catalysts for urban improvement by addressing the question of resources and impact as a foundational step in their integration process. This allows designers to adapt the vertiports to a variety of different locations, plugging into and enhancing existing urban scenarios with a number of different configurations. However, unlike stations for other urban transport options such as trains, metros, or buses, the network does not require tracks, tunnels or roads in between, saving energy, natural resources, and land. The research findings envisaged vertiports of various types and sizes, just like traditional transport stops, stations, and terminals. The key to unlocking this potential lies largely in vertiports, landing hubs that integrate the aerial network with the existing and future ground transportation system. Instead, the research highlights how UAM can be made accessible to, and beneficial for, people of all backgrounds. Crucially, the study aimed to avoid any detrimental impacts from this disruptive technology, which can so easily arise when truly revolutionary transport modes are introduced to cities without careful planning for both short-term and long-term scenarios. Over the course of the last two years, MVRDV supported Airbus in exploring strategic urban development scenarios that leverage UAM as an opportunity to grow cities around the globe into thriving urban regions. ![]() In spite of their long presence in the public consciousness, some fundamental questions have not, until now, been addressed: How will these flying vehicles impact our urban environments? How can issues of energy, sound, and safety be approached? What protocols should be established with authorities to guarantee their safe and harmonious integration? More importantly, how could they be leveraged to improve our cities – not only for their users, but for everybody?Ī leader in the field of UAM thanks to their on-demand helicopter service Voom, Airbus Urban Mobility envisions a comprehensive mobility concept.
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