Joby and Skyports jointly developing ‘Living Lab’ vertiport

Joby Aviation and Skyports Infrastructure are jointly developing a “Living Lab” passenger terminal that will allow the firms to test a variety of technologies and procedures related to vertical flight.

The Living Lab has been unveiled in advance of Joby’s Field Trip event where the firm will allow behind the scenes visits to its pilot production facility. Over the next 18 months, the Living Lab will be displayed at locations around the US.

Eric Allison, head of Product, Joby said: “Our all-electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft is set to revolutionise the way we travel in and around cities. But to realise the vision of everyday flight, we need to deliver a seamless and more rapid experience on the ground. The Living Lab will allow us to rethink the terminal experience, keeping our customers front and centre throughout their entire journey.”

Duncan Walker, CEO at Skyports, said he expects the Living Lab will be instrumental in efforts to engage regulators, government officials, and the public to demonstrate the benefits of eVTOL operations.

“Our aim is to develop vertiport infrastructure that delivers a ‘zero-wait’ check-in experience for customers, and we’re delighted to be working with Joby, one of the leading companies in this sector, to prepare for that future,” Walker added.

Earlier this year, Skyports announced a UK government funded project to develop a vertiport at a London aerodrome. Also, the firm’s European vertiport testbed will launch in November this year at the Pontoise-Cormeilles aerodrome, Paris, with an extensive programme of live flight operations.