Landings, a developer of infrastructure for heavy-lift drones, air taxis, and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, today announced a partnership with twelve Upstate New York communities to build what could become the world’s largest planned vertiport network.
“We have identified 12 locations across the Mohawk Valley Region that will become, we believe, the largest planned vertiport network in the world. This network will advance economic development in the Mohawk Valley and put the region at the forefront of this growing technology,” said Heather Devitt, Mohawk Valley Economic Development District, Inc.(MVEDD).
“The network is designed to bring new mobility and economic opportunity to rural communities,” said the organizations in a press statement. “Several vertiports are planned to improve access to healthcare, support air ambulance and emergency operations, and connect residents to regional services, reducing travel times, increasing resilience, and saving lives. …The initial network will connect 12 strategically selected communities, supporting emergency response, cargo logistics, innovation, and job creation. By integrating advanced air mobility, the project will foster rural econo”mic development and serve as a model for regional mobility solutions nationwide.
“As hundreds of thousands of electric aircraft enter service over the next decade, our Landings Certified Vertiport Network™ will safely and reliably connect communities nationwide, transforming the future of mobility,” said Lisa Wright, CEO of Landings.
The network will host several different use-cases. Some will be used for tourism flights, some for responders – emergency services and healthcare – while others will host freight and agricultural operations. The network is based on four main framework designs, said Lisa Wright, starting with simple landing areas for freight and passengers to more integrated hub designs, covering 12 acres with room to operate short take-off and landing (STOL) aircraft, along with maintenance and repair centres and training areas
“We are focused on rural areas, which means we don’t have all the same issues around high rise obstacles that urban networks have,” said Lisa Wright. “But our team has undertaken the feasibility studies to look for all the obstacles in the area. We know where the tree lines and power lines are and any obstacle that would be in the way of a STOL aircraft.
The company plans to break ground on the network by the end of the year. The first priority will be to work with energy companies to provide power to the site which will not drain energy from the local community. And the first services planned are ultra-light drone missions for emergency services and first responders; Landing has started negotiations with police and fire departments about how first responders might exploit the network.
Lisa Wright
“Landings is very much what rural communities and making them the centre of this air transport revolution,” said Lisa Wright.
The initiative builds on Upstate New York’s legacy of transportation innovation. The Erie Canal, completed in 1825, revolutionized commerce and logistics. Two centuries later, the Mohawk Valley Landings Network is shaping the future, laying the foundation for a coast-to-coast advanced air mobility system.
Landings designs, builds, and operates landing, charging, and storage infrastructure for heavy drones, air taxis, and eVTOLs. Its Landings Certified Vertiport Network™ ensures no aircraft is more than 30 minutes from a charging station. When complete, the network will span 2,000 North American locations, partnering with communities and property owners to enable faster transportation, improved services, and new economic opportunities.
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