The Australian Government has awarded A$250,000 to Skyportz Australia Pty Ltd to advance development of its Aeroberm vertipad.

Skyportz has developed a modular vertipad system that can be installed on rooftops, carparks, or bespoke structures to support the emerging advanced air mobility (AAM) industry. This project, supported under the Australian Government’s Industry Growth Program, will develop a minimum viable product to address three significant infrastructure challenges – downwash and outwash management, noise mitigation, and fire suppression.

“This grant will help us take our patented vertipad technology from concept to prototype,” said Skyportz CEO Clem Newton-Brown, speaking at the Singapore Airshow. “We’re focused on delivering a safe, affordable and deployable solution that will enable property owners and developers to future-proof their sites for the coming era of electric air taxis.”

The funds will be matched by Skyportz to create an A$500,000 research and development pool to engage researchers, patent specialists and industrial designers to bring the product to the prototype phase.

The Australian Government has demonstrated a strong commitment to positioning Australia as a leader in advanced air mobility through other funding initiatives such as the New and Emerging Aviation Technologies (NEAT) Program, and the regulatory readiness work underway by agencies such as the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and Airservices Australia, which are both developing vertiport standards and airspace integration frameworks for AAM operations.

The Aeroberm patent covers a modular, elevated landing platform that incorporates integrated air management channels, acoustic dampening, and a built-in fire suppression system