New research by Future Mobility Campus Ireland (FMCI) and consultancy firm EA Maven has found that Ireland’s compact size, mild climate and transport habits offer a unique opportunity to integrate advanced air mobility solutions like air taxis.
eVTOL OEMs and operators would be able to access a market of 89 million travellers annually seeking to undertake business or access the diverse historical, cultural and leisure opportunities across the country, according to the report.
The study has found that shifting to air mobility could bring a potential economic impact of €96 million in time savings alone.
Most travel in Ireland is currently car-based (87%), creating a demand for more sustainable and efficient alternatives. AAM could potentially alleviate this by introducing new routes and modes of travel. For example, Dublin could become a hub for urban air travel, with 74 potential routes identified, while regional areas could benefit from a network of up to 50 domestic routes connecting 16 airports.
While FMCI and EA Maven advocate for AAM as a transformative solution, the report also raises questions about practical implementation, such as the infrastructure needs and regulatory changes required to bring AAM to life in Ireland.
Dr. Wassim Derguech, COO and Co-Founder of FMCI and Coordinator of the European project EALU-AER, told Zag Daily: “From an infrastructure side, integrating both crewed and uncrewed aviation movements is essential to ensure safe coordination between all aviation stakeholders, something that FMCI is working on through the European project EALU-AER project. Furthermore, building a network of vertiports and ensuring our power grid can handle the demand from electric aircraft are critical steps. Additionally, we must upgrade existing facilities to enable seamless urban and regional connectivity.
“On the regulatory side, we’ll need frameworks for safe, efficient low-altitude airspace management and compliance with European standards. FMCI is working closely with industry and government partners to address these needs, aiming to create a scalable, sustainable system that aligns with Ireland’s transportation and environmental goals.”
With these infrastructure and regulatory challenges in mind, FMCI and EA Maven continue to see AAM as a viable future solution that could help Ireland meet its transport and sustainability objectives.
