Vertiports serve as the central ground infrastructure element for VTOL-capable aircraft (VCA) as part of Innovative Air Mobility (IAM), connecting the urban airspace with the ground. Vertiports need to be integrated into the urban landscape, but more importantly, they have to be integrated into the airspace in a safe and sustainable manner. Configured in a variety of ways, vertiports must accommodate different use cases and traffic volumes, so ground and airspace design recommendations, processes and procedures must be adaptable to different operating environments. The real-time operating status of the Vertiport must be shared among all users, as it is critical information that affects all phases of future VCA flights. Therefore, vertiports need to be included as key stakeholders in both, the ATM and U-space Concept of Operations and the related U-space Regulatory Framework.
EUREKA stands out as the first SESAR project to extend the current scope of the existing ATM, air operations and U-space regulatory framework, in particular, for vertiport stakeholders. The extension includes the development of performance-based requirements for approach, departure and en-route procedures to and from vertiports, while taking into account the specific requirements of crewed VCA. The procedures cover various scenarios and time frames, ranging from short-term solutions for segregated crewed VCA operations to long-term strategies involving advanced U-space services and fully integrated (un)crewed VCA operations. This includes the development of Letters of Agreement and Route Operating Documents to facilitate these operations in the future. Beyond nominal use cases, EUREKA addresses the challenge of managing disturbances and emergencies within vertiport environment e.g. caused by disruptive UAS (cooperative and non-cooperative) and a crewed VCA in Critical Failure for Performance (CFP) state, leading to tactical changes in the U-space airspace configuration. Focusing on the creation of an IAM vertiport ecosystem, EUREKA introduces the Vertiport Collaborative Traffic Management system, which serves as the backbone for managing IAM traffic at a vertiport by centralizing vertiport airside ground information such as availability, schedules and capacity constraints, contributing to a comprehensive operational picture. The Corridor Management service, as part of the Common Information Service (CIS) platform, extends this ecosystem to also address capacity constraints of the U-space airspace. To complete the holistic picture and to maintain the overall efficiency of multiple vertiports interacting with each other, ATM processes and airport throughput, EUREKA investigates the role of a newly defined Vertiport Network Manager (V-NM). This actor monitors and manages multiple vertiports distributed over an urban local network, located in controlled and uncontrolled airspace and co-located with airports.
Together, EUREKA's interconnected efforts aim to shape the future of IAM by fostering a vertiport ecosystem characterized by safety, efficiency, and adaptability to different timeframes and evolutionary eras of U-space. EUREKA's mission is clear: We want to advance the current state of the art for (un)crewed VCAs and to establish vertiports as an integral part of U-space and future IAM transportation networks. To do so, we are developing a scalable solution for both crewed and uncrewed U-space airspace users alongside traditional aviation. EUREKA aims at a safe, efficient and sustainable IAM vertiport ecosystem that can thrive in urban environments, interact closely with airports and can be operated in different airspace classes.
