Skyportz has today released an animation that demonstrates the impacts its vertipad patent will have on the roll-out of advanced air mobility networks globally.
The modular vertipad patent addresses one of the standout issues for advanced air mobility in urban locations – amelioration of downwash and outwash, says the company in a press release. This issue has been highlighted by the FAA in January in its Engineering Brief 105A which indicated that vertipads will need to have a wind safety zone beyond the landing surface. Almost every other air safety regulator in the world has similarly highlighted this issue, said Skyportz.
“The animation released today compares the windspeed of an eVTOL landing on a tarmac with landing on the patented surface, which deflects and breaks up the powerful vortices that are dangerous in urban settings. The vertipad also entrains the air to recirculate, reducing the power of the outwash,” said the company.
“The Skyportz vertipad patent has some very real applications as cities move to establishing vertiport networks outside of existing airports and helipads”, said Skyportz CEO, Clem Newton-Brown. “Our technology reduces the outwash speed two and a half times faster than landing on a tarmac. It means that with our vertipad you can safely use less land or fit more pads onto smaller sites”.
Skyportz says it aims to break the nexus between aviation and airports and enable commercial and industrial property developers to host vertiports.
“The vertiport infrastructure is the missing piece of the puzzle for this industry. Without a multitude of new vertipad landing sites in places people want to go, the aircraft will never fulfil their potential”
Professor Leontini from the Swinburne University of Technology AirHub in Australia has been engaged to do the CFD modelling and trial further iterations of the Skyportz vertipad.
“Our next step will involve adding different surface treatments and mechanical devices detailed in the patent under and around the vertipad, which we expect will induce a Magnus effect and dissipate energy at an even higher rate while directing flows to desired zones away from waiting passengers”, said Professor Leontini.
The Skyportz vertipad is protected by the global Patent Cooperation Treaty protection and the national phase of the patent has commenced already in Australia, USA and China.
Animation link to Youtube
https://youtu.be/5Ld4ABAOOSI?si=K-9fcVwvNsKzmoE7