Hanneke Weitering is a writer and editor with AIN covering advanced air mobility and new flight technologies. She became an aviation journalist and joined the AIN team in the summer of 2022 after reporting on spaceflight and astronomy for six years at Space.com. After earning a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, she moved to New York City to pursue a master’s degree in science, health, and environmental reporting at New York University&#039;s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. She is now based in Seattle near Boeing Field and spends her free time exploring nature in the Pacific Northwest.

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Hanneke Weitering

Skyports Infrastructure this week revealed its proposed designs for a series of vertiports it intends to build in Abu Dhabi to prepare for the launch of advanced air mobility (AAM) operations, including eVTOL air taxi services and UAVs, or drones.
The London-based infrastructure developer worked with Abu Dhabi-based drone company LODD to come up with the vertiport design concepts, which they jointly revealed on February 11 during the ICAO Global Implementation Support Symposium (GISS) in Abu Dhabi.
“The unveiling of these designs and signing of an MOU highlights the progress being made to define and develop Abu Dhabi’s AAM infrastructure network,” Skyports CEO Duncan Walker said in a company statement. “As our vertiport concept designs show, cargo is just as important to Abu Dhabi’s AAM future as passenger operations. The development of a comprehensive passenger and cargo network will enable us to bring wide-ranging benefits to the Emirate for both people and businesses.”
During the unveiling event at GISS, Walker and LODD chief executive Rashid Almanai signed a memorandum of understanding formalizing their agreement to jointly develop a vertiport network in Abu Dhabi. According to Skyports, that network could eventually expand beyond Abu Dhabi to other Emirates. Initial target locations within Abu Dhabi include Al Bateen, Yas Island, and Khalifa Port.

“Abu Dhabi serves as a global model for air mobility, thanks to its progressive systems,” Mannai said. “These vertiports will lay the foundation for a future-ready air mobility network, supporting both commercial eVTOL passenger services and autonomous aerial logistics.”
Skyports is working with eVTOL aircraft manufacturers, government entities, and infrastructure companies around the world to start planning vertiports that will support the launch of electric air taxi services.&nbsp;For example, it is working with California-based eVTOL developer Joby Aviation to build a network of <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/futureflight/2024-11-14/joby-and-skyports-start-building-first-dubai-vertiport-evtol">vertiports in Dubai</a>, for which the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) recently granted <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/futureflight/2025-01-15/skyports-first-uae-vertiport-earns-technical-design-approval">technical design approval</a>. It has also <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/futureflight/2024-07-23/milan-prepares-evtol-air-taxi-services">partnered with Lilium</a> and SEA Milan Airports to develop vertiports in Italy. Skyports also plans to build <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/news-article/2021-05-20/skyports-aims-provide-vertiport-japans-osaka-kansai-world-expo">vertiports in Japan</a> in collaboration with Embraer subsidiary <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/news-article/2022-02-18/skyports-and-eve-start-work-evtol-concept-operations-japan">Eve Air Mobility</a>.
In Abu Dhabi, eVTOL air taxi services are expected to launch <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/futureflight/2024-04-25/abu-dhabi-backs-evtol-air-taxi-services-archer-and-joby">by the end of 2025</a>. Joby and rival California-based eVTOL developer Archer Aviation both have plans to operate commercial services there with their respective four passenger eVTOL aircraft.

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