Aviation Innovation in the South West - Development of an operational environment in a representative urban region

Urban Air Mobility is the future of travel, but before this technology is ready for the public to use we need to test the system as a whole in a real life environment. We will create this demonstration environment - a European first - within the controlled airspace of international airports in the South West of UK. It will allow us to identify and fill technological gaps and establish viable markets and business cases for these services.

The project will assess the demand for UAM services in the South-West UK by developing the use cases for this technology, then evaluating the integration and impact on the wider transportation system and the benefits to cities and residents. We will also undertake social research into public perceptions and attitudes to eVTOL aircraft so we can allay any concerns and ensure the public see the benefits of the technology.

To future proof flight operations we will establish an automated UAM/ATM traffic management system to accommodate high volumes of users in tightly controlled airspace, this will facilitate the entry of new, diverse vehicles into an already complex communications environment along with establishing robust safety cases to meet evolving certification standards. We will also consider the whole UAM ecosystem, including infrastructure and contactless passenger processing and security which has become even more necessary with the recent worldwide developments.

The project will culminate in a series of live flying demonstrations, over the Severn Estuary area, of advanced drone operations in preparation for eVTOL flights in Phase 3\. This along with outreach and public engagement will provide a compelling demonstration of Urban Air Mobility, securing the South-West of UK's status as a worldwide aerospace hub.

Our consortium is led by Atkins and comprises: Vertical Aerospace (eVTOL aircraft developers); AiRXOS (GE Aviation subsidiary, UTM and regulatory experts); Altitude Angel (UTM providers); Connected Places Catapult; Cranfield University; NATS; Neuron (Conspicuity systems); Skyports (Vertiport developers) and WECA (regional government). We have also secured collaboration with Bristol Airport, Cardiff Airport and Uber Air.