Skyportz has unveiled an animation of its award-winning patent, designed to ameliorate downwash and outwash, created by Vertiport Simulations for the Paris Airshow.
The modular vertipad patent addresses two key challenges for Advanced Air Mobility in urban environments: mitigation of downwash and outwash, and effective fire suppression.
Downwash and outwash were highlighted by the FAA in Engineering Brief 105A, where the American aviation regulator indicated that vertipads will require a wind safety zone beyond the landing surface. This safety zone is defined as the area where wind speeds exceed 34.5 mph.
The newly released animation demonstrates how an airport such as Paris-Le Bourget could accommodate multiple vertipads in close proximity.
Dynamic Height Settings
With dynamic height settings for the FATO (Final Approach and Takeoff) landing surface and an adjustable blast screen, the new design enables airports to tailor settings for specific aircraft types. This maximizes downdraft mitigation and reduces wind speeds, allowing for a smaller operational footprint and the safe installation of multiple adjacent pads.
The ability to lower the vertipad to ground level after touchdown allows eVTOLs to roll off the pad and proceed to charging bays, clearing the pad for the next arriving aircraft—supporting high-throughput vertiport operations.
Fire Suppression
In the unlikely event of a fire, this patent provides a method for conclusively extinguishing a battery fire through full immersion in water. All water is contained to prevent environmental contamination.
By lowering all landing surfaces to the bottom of the pit, the area can be flooded to fully immerse a burning aircraft, extinguishing the fire and allowing airport operations to resume immediately.
The Skyportz vertipad is protected by patent number PCT/AU2025/050601, with all international rights reserved. Skyportz intends to license the manufacturing and distribution of the vertipad globally as Advanced Air Mobility markets develop. The international patent application, reserving all global rights, was filed on 6 June 2025.
Clem Newton-Brown, CEO of Skyportz, commented, “The Paris Airshow has been a showcase for the emerging Advanced Air Mobility industry. This animation of our patent in action helps people to understand how important it is to have intelligent design for vertipad operations that go beyond simply painting a circle on a tarmac. Our vertipad patent solves some of the biggest issues facing the industry. We will be making our IP available to any airports globally that want to collaboratively develop our patent prototype.”
Dr Richard Brown from Sophrodyne Aerospace said, “What impresses me about Skyportz is their willingness to engage with the science. Skyportz’ willingness to proceed with their design through a proper sequence of scientifically validated steps sets them well apart and above their competitors – particularly in terms of the trust that I would place in their product and the faith that I would attach to their technical and business plans.”
