Utah-based startup Altaport has launched a vertiport automation system (VAS) intended to streamline a host of outdated heliport management processes ahead of the anticipated arrival of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles around the middle of this decade.
The VAS is intended to streamline and automate many “archaic” heliport processes related to landing site identification, resource scheduling, collection of payments and information sharing, says Cory Cozzens, Altaport’s founder and CEO.
By aiming to tackle inefficient management processes for helicopter services, Cozzens says Altaport will have the infrastructure in place for the expected arrival of commercial eVTOL services later this decade. The VAS solution has already been deployed at heliports in Brazil, including in Araçariguama, Campinas and São Paulo, allowing the company to gain valuable experience in real-world heliport operations.
“Rather than sitting in an ivory tower and doing tests and demos of a hypothetical solution, we’re able to deploy our solution in a real-world environment reflective of what the longterm environment will look like for advanced air mobility [AAM],” Cozzens says. “At the same time, we’re addressing a pressing need for heliports today.”
