Three companies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop a network of 100 vertiports across the Maldives for drones and electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircrafts.
Regional Airports Company Limited (RACL), a state owned company of the Republic of Maldives, has partnered with Air Chateau DWC, a Dubai-based helicopter and vertiport operator, and Wings Capital Management of Abu Dhabi to develop new vertiport infrastructure that connects the islands.
With around 200 resorts and 18 airports spread out across approximately 1,200 islands, the Maldives exemplifies the potential for Island Air Mobility (IAM).
“Project Elevate Maldives” will feature air taxi operations, commercial cargo and passenger operations with eVTOLs, terminal waiting halls and charging infrastructure.
“We at Air Chateau envision building 100 vertiports including floating Hybrid Vertiports across the Maldives by 2030 with an initial approach of building 50 in a hub and spoke fashion by 2028 that covers the most densely populated atolls,” Wassaf Akhtar Mohammed, the firm’s Chief Strategy Officer, told Zag Daily. “Currently we have identified about 16 initial locations at the local domestic Airports and 12 islands for landings which are imminent for operations upon approvals.”
Wassaf said Air Chateau has been seeking to fully understand the nature of the market. “Our approach to Vertiport demand modelling is based on historic data of traffic flows on all current modes of transport in the Maldives with the support of local partners RACL.”
Additionally, the MOU sets out intentions to build more than 500 drone ports for cargo operations to support first and last mile logistics.
