VPorts, a Québec-based world leader in the design, construction, and operation of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) infrastructure, announces the creation of the first international electric AAM corridor between Syracuse Hancock International Airport (New York, U.S.) and VPorts’ vertiport in Mirabel (Québec, Canada).
This corridor will foster the establishment of an AAM ecosystem that will provide a platform for full commercial cargo transport operations using electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft (large, helicopter-sized “drones”). The first eVTOL aircraft test flights are planned for 2023.
A consortium of international organizations including VPorts, NUAIR, Syracuse Hancock International Airport, Aéro Montréal, Innovitech, the Unmanned Aerial System Centre of Excellence (Alma), and Helijet International, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish international electric AAM corridors between Québec (Canada) and the United States.
“The aim of the corridors is to build an AAM ecosystem that will provide a platform for full commercial cargo transport operations using eVTOLs,” said Dr. Fethi Chebil, President and Founder of VPorts.
“They will allow the consortium’s members to explore all aspects of AAM, including goods transportation, charging readiness, stakeholder management, business cases, security and safety protocols, social acceptability and urban integration of infrastructure and operations.
“Many companies and organizations rapidly investing in these related new capabilities are present in Central New York State today with good prospects of growth, and others are likely to be attracted to the region.”
New York State Governor Kathy Hochul recently announced that the state will be providing NUAIR with an additional $21 million in “Central New York Rising” Upstate Revitalization Initiative funding that will allow NUAIR to continue to cultivate the world-leading uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) and AAM industry hub in Central New York and the Mohawk Valley.
The additional funding will allow for critical infrastructure to be tested and deployed to enable advanced industry applications, state agency adoption of UAS, AAM development, and associated workforce development.
“New York’s state-of-the-art drone corridor further elevates our global leadership in this evolving market for cutting-edge UAS technology,” said Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight.
“Our ongoing investment and focus on drone and advanced air mobility corridor operations will continue to strengthen and grow the statewide economy, especially in the Central New York and Mohawk Valley regions, for generations to come.”