New Publication Guides Future Advanced Aerial Mobility Infrastructure

A new ASTM International standard for civil vertipor design has been published, the result of a 5-year effort by their unmanned aircraft systems committee to provide industry guidance on what will likely become a common fixture all over the world. 

As electric and alternative fuel vertical takeoff aircraft progress to certification, infrastructure tailor-made to their inherent advantages will be required to fully leverage their capability. The lower sound signature, short takeoff capability, and diminished operating range compared to traditional air taxis result in structural differences from the usual small general aviation airport. Vertiports are joined in the ASTM standard by its smaller, lower-impact sibling, the vertistop. 

A vertiport, as the ASTM standard describes, is a “section of land, water, or structure intended for either manned or unmanned vertical takeoff and landing of aircraft,” including its supporting infrastructure and related buildings. A vertistop has “the same geometry and airspace as a vertiport”, but without the fueling, defueling, scheduled maintenance, scheduled repairs, or storage of aircraft. A vertistop is more drop-off point than port, almost exclusively allowing the discharge of passengers or cargo. 

The new standard, F3423, will provide easily scaled specifications to guide states and municipalities in the development process of their new AAM infrastructure. Stakeholders can choose just which portions are suitable to their projects, with standards for multi-rotor, lift & cruise, vectored thrust, tilt-wing aircraft, and more included in the document. Scalability was a prime consideration for the committee, important for a nascent industry just getting on its own feet. Upcoming eVTOL aircraft have a bevy of new needs, like refueling from non-standard aviation sources or recharging, exchanging, and storing batteries. Whether air medical transport, flight instruction, aerial work, rental, or any one of a myriad missions, the standard can accommodate them. 

“The challenge in developing this standard was in balancing safety with practicality”, said Rex Alexander, ASTM International member and working group volunteer. “Without empirical aircraft performance data to rely on, the team’s goal was to develop a practical standard as a starting point that is not only safety centric but provides municipalities with a common-sense path forward. “

FMI: www.astm.org