Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) in the UK and transport and logistics infrastructure startup Urban-Air Port have announced plans to develop a manned and unmanned aerial vehicle hub.
Urban-Air Port will work with LBA to develop an off-grid, hydrogen-powered infrastructure hub at the airport. The main role of the site at LBA will be to provide a space for the command, charging and loading of logistics drones, providing safe and secure infrastructure to support drone delivery services in the Leeds City Region in the near future. Within the scope of the agreement between LBA and Urban-Air Port, there is also the capacity for vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) vehicle storage and charging.
Charles Johnson, head of planning development at LBA, said, “This collaboration signifies an exciting development for the airport and highlights the ability of Yorkshire to lead on innovative infrastructure solutions. It’s fantastic to see how aviation and its partner industries are developing new technologies that will be essential to our future. I am looking forward to seeing how the project develops, as we continue to act as a key hub for connectivity in the UK.
Ricky Sandhu, founder and executive chairman of Urban-Air Port, added, “In putting this agreement with LBA in place, we are getting ahead of the curve for the next wave of logistics and infrastructure. We are looking forward to developing an ultra-compact, rapidly deployable, multi-functional operations hub with facilities for vehicles providing aircraft command and control, charging/refueling, cargo and passenger loading. This will result in a future with fewer vehicles on our roads and more sustainable cities.”