Atkins and Vertical Aerospace Collaborate to Take Urban Transportation to the Skies - 20 May 2019

Atkins, a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group, is collaborating with electric aircraft company Vertical Aerospace to help develop intercity air taxi services that will revolutionise urban travel.

Vertical Aerospace is among the first companies in the world to build and fly a full scale, fully electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL) and is working towards commercial flight by 2023.
Atkins – one of the world’s leading design, engineering and project management consultancies – is at the forefront intelligent mobility, helping industry reimagine infrastructure across all transport modes, enabled by data, technology and innovative ideas.

Jointly located in Bristol, with its long-standing aviation heritage, this unique collaboration between Vertical Aerospace and Atkins brings together extensive industry expertise with the aim of revolutionising how people fly globally.

Together, Vertical Aerospace and Atkins plan to develop a blueprint for Urban Air Mobility, with Atkins designing the system and infrastructure around the air vehicle. The blueprint will cover aviation infrastructure, passenger experience, operating models, intelligent mobility and cyber security. The partnership builds upon the vehicle safety and certification support Atkins is currently providing to Vertical Aerospace.

Philip Hoare, President of Atkins, said: “As the world’s population continues to grow, our current city transportation models, associated infrastructure and ways of operating will need to adapt to meet unprecedented demand. Vertical Aerospace and Atkins’s pioneering work to take on-demand travel skyward, by developing a system in which eVTOL can operate, has the potential to revolutionise future city and regional transportation.”

Stephen Fitzpatrick, Founder and CEO of Vertical Aerospace, said: “As we push ahead with developing the technology to decarbonise flight, we must keep passenger experience and safety at the forefront of our designs. Atkins are the perfect partner to develop this infrastructure from the ground upwards and we are delighted to be working with them.”

This partnership builds on decades of landmark aviation projects from Atkins, ranging from design and certification of major aircraft programs; global airport infrastructure design; and the full-scale implementation of technologies such as biometric facial recognition at airport gates.
 

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About Atkins

Atkins (www.atkinsglobal.com) is one of the world’s most respected design, engineering and project management consultancies, employing over 18,300 people across the UK, North America, Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific and Europe. We build long-term trusted partnerships to create a world where lives are enriched through the implementation of our ideas. You can view Atkins’ recent projects here.

About SNC-Lavalin

Founded in 1911, SNC-Lavalin is a global fully integrated professional services and project management company and a major player in the ownership of infrastructure. From offices around the world, SNC-Lavalin’s employees are proud to build what matters. Our teams provide comprehensive end-to-end project solutions – including capital investment, consulting, design, engineering, construction, sustaining capital and operations and maintenance – to clients across oil and gas, mining and metallurgy, infrastructure, clean power, nuclear and EDPM (engineering design and project management). On July 3, 2017, SNC-Lavalin acquired Atkins, one of the world’s most respected design, engineering and project management consultancies, which has been integrated into our sectors www.snclavalin.com

About Vertical Aerospace

Vertical Aerospace is building technology to revolutionise how people fly. Founded by greentech entrepreneur Stephen Fitzpatrick in 2016, the electric aircraft company was among the first in the world to build and fly full scale eVTOL aircraft. Since its inception, it has grown to a team of more than 40 world-class engineers and technical experts, recruited from the likes of Airbus, Boeing, Rolls-Royce Martin JetPack and GE. With a mission to make air travel personal, on-demand and carbon free, the Bristol-based company is working closely with aviation authorities around the world on certification for commercial flight. It plans to offer intercity air taxi services by 2023.