Project PORTAL - The infrastructure launchpad for the Future of Flight
Lead Participant:
SLINK-TECH LTD
Abstract
**PORTAL** - _The infrastructure launchpad for the future of flight_
To unlock the Future of Flight (FoF) potential and realise the 2% uptick in GDP (PWC forecast), scalable infrastructure to enable landing and take-off needs to be developed.
PORTAL is a disruptive system-of-systems approach to infrastructure technology for vertiports, and this project will develop the technology needed to safely deploy landing locations at scale. By leveraging automation to manage drone traffic through on-ground situational awareness and connectivity, locations can reduce specialist staff, and in-turn, reduce operational costs. PORTAL will make it easy for any business to become a drone capable business, and will be able to serve new bespoke vertiports, be retro-fitted for installations on car parks, roof tops.
If the advantages of VTOL aviation are to be realized in a sustainable and future proof way, it is essential to invest in the infrastructure of vertiports: not just pads but safe, efficient, scalable, and resilient systems to transition people and goods from ground to air and _vice versa_. This is exactly the focus of this proposal: efficiency and scalability arising from detailed design optimisation of vertiport systems offering high throughput flight capacity in a modular format. Safety and resilience are provided by precise monitoring and control, not just of air vehicle movements but of all the associated ground handling operations in the immediate air and ground environments.
SLiNK-TECH, leading the project, will further develop their existing situational awareness and vertiport management capability, and integrate advanced sensing technology (Cambridge Sensoriis Ltd), innovative guidance beacons (R4DAR Technologies Ltd) and secure-by-design communications (ANGOKA Ltd). University of Bristol will be supporting the project with research into the airspace operational logic, supporting data analytics and providing flight test facilities through their Robotics Flight Lab. Snowdonia Aerospace Centre & Auriga Aerospace Ltd will provide operational support for the larger scale, harsh operational environment demonstrations featured during the project.
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To unlock the Future of Flight (FoF) potential and realise the 2% uptick in GDP (PWC forecast), scalable infrastructure to enable landing and take-off needs to be developed.
PORTAL is a disruptive system-of-systems approach to infrastructure technology for vertiports, and this project will develop the technology needed to safely deploy landing locations at scale. By leveraging automation to manage drone traffic through on-ground situational awareness and connectivity, locations can reduce specialist staff, and in-turn, reduce operational costs. PORTAL will make it easy for any business to become a drone capable business, and will be able to serve new bespoke vertiports, be retro-fitted for installations on car parks, roof tops.
If the advantages of VTOL aviation are to be realized in a sustainable and future proof way, it is essential to invest in the infrastructure of vertiports: not just pads but safe, efficient, scalable, and resilient systems to transition people and goods from ground to air and _vice versa_. This is exactly the focus of this proposal: efficiency and scalability arising from detailed design optimisation of vertiport systems offering high throughput flight capacity in a modular format. Safety and resilience are provided by precise monitoring and control, not just of air vehicle movements but of all the associated ground handling operations in the immediate air and ground environments.
SLiNK-TECH, leading the project, will further develop their existing situational awareness and vertiport management capability, and integrate advanced sensing technology (Cambridge Sensoriis Ltd), innovative guidance beacons (R4DAR Technologies Ltd) and secure-by-design communications (ANGOKA Ltd). University of Bristol will be supporting the project with research into the airspace operational logic, supporting data analytics and providing flight test facilities through their Robotics Flight Lab. Snowdonia Aerospace Centre & Auriga Aerospace Ltd will provide operational support for the larger scale, harsh operational environment demonstrations featured during the project.
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Lead Participant | Project Cost | Grant Offer |
|---|---|---|
| SLINK-TECH LTD | £1,462,031 | £ 1,023,422 |
Participant |
||
| ANGOKA LIMITED | £468,152 | £ 327,706 |
| R4DARTECH LTD | £484,084 | £ 338,859 |
| UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL | £512,516 | £ 512,516 |
| SNOWDONIA AEROSPACE LLP | £80,000 | £ 56,000 |
| CAMBRIDGE SENSORIIS LTD | £580,847 | £ 406,593 |
| AURIGA AEROSPACE LTD | £59,319 | £ 41,523 |
| UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL |
People |
ORCID iD |
| Alissa Suddell (Project Manager) |