Chicago-based Urban Air Mobility (UAM) infrastructure provider eVertiSKY has acquired Volatus Infrastructure and Energy Solutions to add Volatus’ dual-use charging technology to its offering.
Under the “Volatus powered by eSkyBridge” name, Volatus’ dual-charging technology – which serves both UAM aircrafts and ground electric vehicles – will be integrated into eVertiSKY’s eSkyBridge platform. This platform is a dashboard that publishes real-time status updates on ground and airspace resources.
With a combined valuation of $262 million, Volatus’ charging technology aims to strengthen the eSkyBridge platform by providing vertiport developers, aircraft operators, and fleet managers with infrastructure solutions that meet energy demands.
“The primary benefit of a dual-use charging system is that it allows for the standardised deployment and maintenance of a single class of hardware, which integrates with the same energy grid and security requirements,” eVertiSKY CEO Sandra Formenton told Zag Daily. “This streamlines installation and reduces the total cost of ownership for vertiport operators.”
Volatus’ charging unit will also be integrated into Chicago’s UAM Living Labs, which Volatus and eVertiSKY collaborated on earlier this year. The Living Labs provide a real world testing ground for UAM technologies and operational strategies.
To avoid safety hazards, ground vehicles and aircrafts will not interact during charging. The UAM charging units will be located close to the aircraft’s Final Approach and Takeoff areas for easy access by aircraft service personnel. For ground vehicles, the charging units will be installed in or adjacent to parking and service delivery areas.
According to eVertiSKY, it will be able to implement and make the charging units fully operational within 30 to 90 days, depending on the design and architecture of the vertiport, vertistop and operational area.
