Vertiports and Asia Pacific ambitions

Its counties are jostling to take the lead in AAM, while vertiport developers – some from much further afield – are keen to establish a foothold. Emma Kelly reports on the dynamic Asia Pacific region.

From Japan and South Korea in the north, Malaysia and Indonesia, down to Australia in the south, countries in the Asia Pacific region are embracing electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles and advanced air mobility (AAM). Vertiport developers, including Skyports Infrastructure, Skyportz, Skyscape, Urban-Air Port and UrbanV, are all working with local partners to meet the anticipated future need.

Yun-Yuan Tay, head of APAC at Skyports, said: “Our strategy has always been to focus on those markets where regulatory frameworks are well-developed and where there is strong demand and interest from our eVTOL OEM and operator partners. Japan, Korea and Australia are poised to be the first movers in the region, and we are working within each of these markets to establish vertiport infrastructure to enable commercial operations.” Skyports is also reviewing other potential markets, such as India and Southeast Asia.

Leading the way

Japan is a key market for Skyports, with the company expanding its presence there. In 2022, it established a regional office in Tokyo in response to AAM projects, including in Osaka and Tokyo, while Japanese trading conglomerate Kanematsu Corporation is a Skyports investor. Across Japan, Skyports is working with a number of prefectures to launch AAM services, including Tokyo, Osaka, Hyogo and Mie. The company has also worked closely with regulators at the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau to develop an AAM concept of operations (ConOps) for the last three years, according to Tay.

AAM developments in Japan are expected to accelerate with the World Expo 2025, which will take place in Osaka, Kansai, from April through to October 2025. Tay told Vertiports: “The upcoming World Expo 2025 will feature several eVTOL aircraft flight demonstrations, which we expect will help to catalyse commercial activities.” Joby Aviation, Archer Aviation, Vertical Aerospace and local Japanese eVTOL developer SkyDrive are set to operate demonstration flights at the Expo between two vertiports operated by ORIX, Kansai Electric Power and local heliport developer Aero Facility.

South Korea is also an AAM frontrunner in the region, with its ambitious Korean Urban Air Mobility (K-UAM) Grand Challenge, which was launched in 2023, aiming for commercial advanced air mobility services in 2025/26 and full-scale implementation from 2030. The South Korean government has been quick to embrace UAM, seeing the new technology as a means to address road congestion in the country’s major cities, as well as providing regional applications.

Island life

South Korea is a focus for Italian vertiport network operator UrbanV, which last year signed an agreement with Korea Airports Corporation (KAC) to develop a vertiport network and an AAM ecosystem in the country. UrbanV CEO Carlo Tursi said: “Our partnership with KAC has been progressing exceptionally well. Together, UrbanV and KAC intend to exchange data and best practices regarding UAM activities, and access each other’s UAM ecosystems to provide tangible support for feasibility assessment and UAM analysis with relevant stakeholders like air operators, site owners, industrial partners and regulatory bodies.” The partnership is based on four main pillars: sharing knowhow, addressing regulatory challenges, airspace co-studies and exploring business opportunities.

According to Tursi, South Korea stands out as “a prime destination for innovation and growth”, noting its well-structured and interconnected ecosystem for the entry-into-service of AAM solutions, with local businesses, research institutes and government agencies fostering collaboration and accelerating innovative industries. Furthermore, there is strong government support, including strategic investments and streamlined regulatory processes, as well as a favourable environment for innovation, including a world-class digital infrastructure and a highly skilled workforce.

Using its aviation expertise from operating 14 airports in the country, KAC is developing an in-house vertiport system and preparing the infrastructure for South Korea’s first commercial AAM operations in Jeju Island and the Southern Coast region. UrbanV brings its regulatory experience, having been involved in defining the first end-to-end AAM regulation, released by the Italian Civil Aviation Authority, ENAC, last June, and airspace corridor definition.

Jeju Island, which is visited by 15 million tourists annually, offers “barrier-free environments suitable for flying”, according to the partners. The current plan calls for three vertiports, including one at Jeju International Airport and two at tourist locations, to be constructed by the end of 2026.

“South Korea stands out as a frontrunner in the Asia-Pacific region,” said Tursi, with the country positioned for “rapid AAM commercialisation”. South Korea has already demonstrated the integration of KAC’s vertiport and air traffic control systems with Joby Aviation’s aircraft, he added.

UrbanV and KAC have ambitions beyond South Korea. Tursi explained: “The next steps are to work on overseas projects, taking advantage of the networks that the two players have, capitalise the partnership and the consolidated know-how”, adding that UrbanV is exploring opportunities in Japan.

Emergency applications

Urban-Air Port (UAP) is also exploring opportunities in South Korea through its contract with Hanwha Systems and KAC, signed at the 2023 Paris Air Show. The partnership is aimed at identifying a strategic, long-term roadmap and deploying an extensive range of disruptive, technology-driven innovations, including UAP’s “ultra-efficient, high-throughput” vertiport. Andrea Wu, UAP CEO, said: “The three-way partnership has allowed each partner to leverage their expertise, ranging from eVTOL aircraft development, UAM traffic management systems and vertiport design and operations and advance their research and development, with a strong focus on commercialisation.”

With South Korea’s initial UAM focus on emergency applications starting as early as next year, UAP has been looking at how best to convert Seoul’s high-rise rooftop helipads into vertiports. Wu told Vertiports: “UAP’s next-gen vertiports are 90% smaller than conventional vertiports and can be integrated onto high-rise rooftops while providing high throughput.”

Wu explained that UAP is active across the Asia-Pacific region, although much of this is still confidential. She believes UAP has the ideal vertiport solution for Asia-Pacific and beyond, due to its size, ability to protect passengers, pilots, airport, structures and staff from the effects of eVTOL outwash and downwash, while at the same time providing greater throughput than other vertiport solutions. “It’s the only vertiport configuration that is technology driven, technically superior to any other, that can be fully commercialised. With our internationally granted and growing patent portfolio, we are securing our position as the most viable solution for AAM infrastructure,” Wu said.

Skyports is also present in South Korea, partnering with local low-cost carrier Jeju Air last year, with the aim of working with government, regulatory and industry shareholders to identify requirements, opportunities and challenges. Skyports declined to comment on the status of that partnership following the recent crash of a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 at Muan. According to Tay, the company is closely following K-UAM progress and remains focused on deploying commercial vertiport activities in line with aircraft certification and regulatory developments.

Singapore was an early AAM pioneer in the region, supported by a government eager to embrace smart transport solutions and a favourable regulatory environment. German eVTOL developer Volocopter conducted demonstration flights over Marina Bay in 2019, with Skyports unveiling the VoloPort – the world’s first full-scale vertiport – at the Intelligent Transport Systems World Congress in Singapore in 2019. Volocopter had hoped to launch commercial UAM services in Singapore in 2024, but shelved that plan when it failed to secure local partners. In late 2024, the German company filed for insolvency.

Skyports remains committed to Singapore, where it has its regional headquarters. Tay said: “We are currently in discussions with several eVTOL OEMs and operators to partner with us in relaunching our development initiatives in Singapore. Our ongoing focus is to build on the groundwork we have laid.” The company is also active in Malaysia, where it has partnered with AirAsia and eVTOL OEM Vertical Aerospace: “We are exploring various use cases, both domestic and cross-border, in Malaysia and the surrounding region.”

While Australia doesn’t share the extreme city centre road congestion which has driven other countries in the region to AAM, it is a focus for a number of vertiport companies. Queensland is at the forefront of AAM developments in the country, with AAM services set to launch ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.

In 2022, Skyports began working with OEM Wisk Aero on a ConOp and defining autonomous eVTOL vertiport operations, including physical aircraft considerations, passenger accommodation, schedule management, ground operations management, final approach and take-off management, navigational aids, situational awareness, contingency management and airspace design. Skyports has also partnered with Australia infrastructure and property group Wagner Corporation to explore vertiport development opportunities in Queensland. Tay added: “We are in the process of evaluating potential locations for vertiports in Australia and developing a comprehensive strategy.”

The partners have conducted feasibility studies to assess the potential for developing a vertiport testbed and future permanent infrastructure at the Wagner-owned Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport. “We are actively developing our plans and timelines,” Tay told Vertiports.

Skyports and Wisk are focused on identifying an entry-into-service network for Wisk’s autonomous Generation 6 aircraft in South East Queensland (SEQ). Currently undergoing rapid and extensive development ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, it is one of the fastest-growing regions in the country.

“Skyports has been a valuable partner to Wisk and we’re excited about the work we’ve accomplished since we began our collaboration in 2022,” said Dan Parsons, infrastructure and regulatory affairs manager at Wisk. “Our cross-functional teams have been working through the development of a model network in SEQ that will support our entry into service goals.” He said the partners have identified a “range of potential vertiport locations that will be evaluated based on technical, environmental, operational and societal impact assessments.” This work will continue throughout 2025, with the project expected to form the basis for broader engagement with industry, government and the community.

Wisk has engaged with numerous countries in the Asia-Pacific region, not just Australia. Parsons points to its memorandum of understanding with Japan Airlines, which will see continued collaboration this year. According to Parsons, Wisk has established and is exploring partnerships with a range of vertiport developers, “but we will continue to work with Skyports on general and country-specific projects.”

With Wisk’s autonomous eVTOL not expected to enter service before the 2030s, it will leverage existing vertiport infrastructure, developed for an earlier entry into service of piloted eVTOLs, in some markets that overlap. Parsons said: “We also want to collaborate with other industry players to establish standards for infrastructure that will enable autonomous operations, as we believe the path to scaling AAM operations is through autonomy. Preparing our vertiports for autonomous operations on day one ensures that we have a smooth transition to autonomy, and possibly more efficient piloted operations as well. In some markets, like SEQ, we are leading the conversation around infrastructure development.”

While SEQ is the focus of many in the eVTOL sector in Australia, driven by the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, it isn’t the only potential location. Skyports is “constantly exploring opportunities across Australia,” said Tay, pointing to Melbourne and Sydney. In Melbourne, local helicopter operator Microflite, which operates the Batman Park heliport on the Yarra River, plans to replace its tourism helicopters with eVTOLs. To that end, it has partnered with Skyportz to explore options for new vertiport sites in the Victoria State capital. Working with Contreras Earl Architecture and Pascall+Watson, Skyportz has developed a purpose-built vertiport concept for the Yarra River site, incorporating a multimodal hub for electric transport, including ferries and boats. The Yarra River vertiport would be the first in a network, including locations at Fishermans Bend or Melbourne Port, while the city’s Southern Cross Station and sports precincts are potential ‘vertistop’ locations for the setting down and picking up of passengers, according to Skyportz CEO Clem Newton-Brown.

Skyportz has long stressed the need for the development of new vertiport sites in locations where people actually want to go if the fledgling sector is ever going to reach its potential. Skyportz has been working with commercial and industrial property developers to host vertiports, with the company claiming that more than 400 property sites have expressed an interest in Australia alone.

Skyportz is also developing a patented modular vertipad design to provide an entry-level solution. Newton-Brown explained: “Our vertipad will be aimed at private owners seeking minimal requirements for safe operations at an entry level cost”. The design addresses issues including amelioration of downwash and outwash, reduced property footprint requirements, noise reduction, firefighting, environmental impacts following firefighting, regenerative power capture, power storage, delivery of power source to aircraft, assisted blown lift technology to reduce energy draw from onboard battery, micro-wind data display and communication to aircraft, debris hazard collection, bird detect and deter and insurance premium reductions.

Regulatory variations

In terms of vertiport regulations and requirements, there are variations across the Asia-Pacific region. Wisk’s Parsons noted: “Due to local, regional and national legislation, each market has a unique set of requirements for vertiports. Zoning, planning, noise and privacy requirements can be overseen by one or more levels of government, and we also have to be mindful of community sentiment and social licence. For these reasons, we engage with all levels of government and, where appropriate, the community, early to build a strong relationship and trust.”

Regulators in the Asia-Pacific region are in sync with the regulatory approach in other parts of the world, according to Skyports’ Tay: “Most regulators in the Asia-Pacific region align their guidelines with those of EASA and the [US] FAA. Therefore, the differences in vertiport requirements are minimal compared to the rest of the world.” Collaboration among regulators in the region is also present, with Tay highlighting the important work the Civil Aviation Authority of KAC is doing in bringing APAC regulators together to discuss AAM regulations and requirements in the region.

UrbanV’s Tursi also acknowledges the positive attitude of regulators in the region: “In comparison to other parts of the world, the Asia-Pacific region’s regulatory approach stands out for its agility and its focus on fostering international collaboration to accelerate the adoption of AAM.” Tursi said the region is “unique in its rapid and proactive approach.” UrbanV is contributing to the regulatory process following its work on Italy’s air mobility regulatory frameworks, which Tursi says set a strong foundation for the safe and efficient integration of vertiports into urban environments.

Tursi points to the memorandum of understanding between ENAC and the Korean Institute of Aviation Safety, which facilitates collaboration between Europe and the Asia-Pacific on harmonised regulatory standards and best practices: “This partnership highlights the region’s emphasis on innovation, safety, and adaptability, ensuring that regulations account for specific challenges such as urban density, diverse airspace needs and rapid market growth.”

Tay said user requirements are similar to those elsewhere: “While there may be slight variations in requirements and use cases across regions, the Asia-Pacific region does not significantly differ from global standards. Each area has unique considerations, but the overarching requirements and use cases remain consistent worldwide.”