Image credit: Skyportz
Skyportz, an Australian vertiport developer, has revealed a new modular vertipad patent at the Avalon International Airshow in Melbourne.
It aims to address a key challenge in Advanced Air Mobility: mitigating the wind effects of eVTOL aircraft in urban environments.
While the company is not yet releasing exact details of what is in the patent, Clem Newton-Brown, CEO of Skyportz, told Zag Daily that “this first iteration is based on experimenting with different types of deck perforations, valves and profiles to catch and channel the air”.
Research from Swinburne University of Technology suggests the design may dissipate energy up to 250% faster than a flat tarmac surface, potentially reducing the impact of downwash and outwash—turbulent airflows generated during takeoff and landing. If effective, this could enable air taxi operations on smaller sites, expanding the potential for urban vertiports beyond traditional airports and helipads.
Regulatory bodies have raised concerns about the wind effects of eVTOL aircraft. In January, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) noted in Engineering Brief 105A that vertipads require a designated wind safety zone, defined as an area where wind speeds exceed 34.5 mph, to prevent disruption to surrounding areas. Space constraints in cities mean such requirements could severely limit viable vertiport locations.
“The Skyportz vertipad patent has real potential as cities consider vertiport networks outside existing airports and helipads,” said Newton-Brown. “With this design, less land may be needed, or more vertipads could be accommodated within the same space.”
Commercial and infrastructure considerations
Skyportz intends to license the technology globally, citing interest from regulators, air taxi operators, and property developers.
“Vertiport infrastructure is a major barrier for this industry,” Newton-Brown said. “Without widespread landing sites in convenient locations, eVTOLs cannot reach their full potential.”
The company also suggests that vertipads could add commercial value to properties. “We expect sites with vertipads to become more attractive to businesses seeking to offer air taxi services,” Newton-Brown said.
Professor Justin Leontini of Swinburne University’s Department of Mechanical and Product Design Engineering stated that initial research explored surface treatments to improve aerodynamic dissipation. “The next step is testing mechanical devices, as outlined in the patent, to enhance energy dissipation through the Magnus effect while directing airflow away from passengers,” he explained.
If proven effective, this approach could reduce the required safety buffer zones around vertipads, making urban eVTOL operations more feasible.
