Skyports inks eVTOL vertiport partnership in Latin America

UK electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft infrastructure specialist Skyports is teaming up with multinational private airport operator Corporación América Airports (CAAP) to develop a network of vertiports across Latin America.

Also a successful operator of delivery and other drone services, Skyports – through its dedicated Skyports Infrastructure unit – will be using its expanding expertise in international vertiport construction with CAAP’s position in traditional aircraft airport operation to prepare Latin America for the arrival of next-generation eVTOL planes. 

That will include planning, construction, and management of vertiport networks in viable Latin American locations, and designation of relevant kinds of air service use cases in function of local needs. As part of that development process, the partners will determine which of the 35 airports CAAP operates internationally are best suited for Skyports Infrastructure to be outfitted with added eVTOL vertiport facilities. 

Read: Skyports and Joby partner on ‘Living Lab’ trial vertiport facility 

In addition to Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, and Ecuador, CAAP also runs airports in Armenia and Italy, servicing 84 million travelers per year. Last June, the company announced partnerships with eVTOL manufacturers Eve Air Mobility and Vertical Aerospace, with which Skyports Infrastructure has also worked in vertiport development.

“As a leading airport concession operator, Corporación América Airports continues to build strong partnerships to position itself as an agent of change in the development of the Advanced Air Mobility ecosystem,” said CAAP CEO Martin Eurnekian. “With over 20 years of expertise and operations in six countries across LatAm and Europe, we are firmly committed to continue building the future of this new way of transportation, which will be leaner, faster, and
more sustainable.”

The announcement coincided with word out of the UK that a Skyports program has been granted a portion of the total $14.3 million in government funding to projects promoting new drone services across the nation. 

As part of that, an effort Skyports has been heading in western Scotland to create a UAV transport, pilot training, and research hub will receive over $260,000 in new subsidies. On the opposite coast of Scotland, meanwhile, Skyports has also been working to help create what health officials say will be the world’s first nation-wide drone medical delivery network. 

Read more: Scotland’s medical drone network opens phase two development 

According to Skyports Infrastructure director Addison Ferrell, the same drive to be at the forefront of drone development in Europe fueled its vertiport partnership with CAAP to bring eVTOL services to Latin America.

“We’re at an incredibly exciting point in the industry’s development as we take concrete steps towards implementing a scalable vertiport network that will facilitate commercial eVTOL operations; this partnership will be instrumental to achieving those objectives,” Ferrell said. “We are proud to partner with Corporación América Airports to expand and stimulate the AAM ecosystem in key markets in Latin America.”