Urban-Air Port Unveils VBM-AI: The Intelligent Engine Powering the Future of Urban Air Mobility Infrastructure
Groundbreaking AI-powered planning tool unveiled at PTE 2026, transforming how vertiport and advanced air mobility networks are designed, assessed, and scaled.
User Interface of VBM-AI
LONDON, 18 March 2026 — Urban-Air Port, the world-leading developer of advanced air mobility infrastructure, today officially unveiled VBM-AI, its proprietary AI-powered planning and simulation platform, at the Passenger Terminal Expo (PTE) 2026 in London.
The announcement marks a significant milestone in the company's mission to accelerate the commercial deployment of urban air mobility (UAM) infrastructure globally.
WHAT IS VBM-AI?
The Vertiport Business Modeller, VBM-AI is Urban-Air Port's next-generation planning intelligence platform, purpose-built with years of insights and data for the advanced air mobility sector. The tool harnesses the power of artificial intelligence and data-driven modelling to enable planners, operators, investors, and policymakers to make faster, smarter, and more confident decisions about vertiport development and UAM network deployment.
From site selection and demand forecasting to operational simulation and infrastructure optimisation, VBM-AI compresses complex multi-variable analysis into actionable insights — dramatically reducing the time and cost associated with traditional planning processes.
UNVEILED AT PASSENGER TERMINAL EXPO 2026
The formal launch of VBM-AI took place on Wednesday, 18 March 2026, at the Passenger Terminal Expo at London ExCeL, one of the aviation industry's most prestigious annual gatherings. Urban-Air Port's CEO, Andrea Wu presented the platform to an audience of global aviation leaders, infrastructure investors, city planners, and advanced air mobility stakeholders.
The session provided delegates with a first glimpse at VBM-AI's capabilities, including its key modelling features and insight into the real-world scenarios in which the platform has already been deployed.
“The introduction of VBM-AI represents a step-change in how the advanced air mobility sector approaches infrastructure planning. We are giving the industry the intelligence it needs to build the right infrastructure, at the right capacity, in the right places, at the right time.”
KEY CAPABILITIES
VBM-AI delivers a suite of integrated functions based on years of unique insights, data and knowhow that address the full lifecycle of vertiport and UAM network planning:
Demand Modelling: AI-driven forecasting of passenger demand and flight frequencies across proposed UAM corridors.
Site Intelligence: Multi-criteria site assessment combining geospatial analysis, regulatory data, and operational parameters.
Network Optimisation: Simulation of multi-vertiport network configurations to identify optimal deployment sequences.
Investment Analysis: Financial modelling tools enabling rapid scenario testing for operators, investors and developers.
Regulatory & Sustainability Reporting: Automated outputs aligned with planning and environmental compliance requirements.
About Urban-Air Port
Aviation & Defence Technology | World’s most advanced, patented infrastructure for Advanced Air Mobility
Urban-Air Port is a cutting-edge aerospace, robotics, and air mobility platform driving 21st-century defence and aerospace innovation. Harnessing decades of expertise in drones, aviation, and infrastructure, it delivers unmatched solutions for global defence and aerospace markets.
Its defence-focused Pandora suit of products, unveiled at DSEI 9-12th September 2025, offers covert, portable, and automated infrastructure to support tactical frontline operations. Designed to counter aerial surveillance and strikes, it enables small units to execute complex missions with enhanced tempo and resilience.
An award-winning leader in infrastructure, Urban-Air Port develops compact landing and charging systems for sustainable air transport, including passenger and cargo VTOL air taxis and autonomous drones for civilian and defence use. Its mission is to electrify aviation by overcoming ground infrastructure limitations, creating a zero-emission ecosystem that slashes congestion and pollution in passenger, cargo, and defence transport.
Recognised as a global leader in Advanced Air Mobility, Urban-Air Port’s patented vertiport technology delivers ultra-compact, high-capacity infrastructure, transforming cities into connected, cleaner hubs for a green economic future. Its solutions are optimised for electric and hybrid VTOL aircraft, ensuring safer, quieter, and more sustainable operations compared to competitors.
The “Vertical Airfield” technology compacts conventional airfields, enabling safe electric vertical take-off and landing at height, akin to an aircraft carrier. Urban-Air Port’s vertiports are 80% smaller than alternatives, featuring modular designs for scalable expansion, maximised eVTOL throughput, and integrated energy storage for superior performance and passenger experience.
The Air-One project in Coventry, launched in April 2022 with UK Government Research and Innovation funding, marked the world’s first fully operational vertiport in a dense urban setting. It hosted over 15,000 visitors and 150 successful flights within Coventry’s complex urban airspace and airport restriction zone.
Backed by global partners like Supernal (Hyundai Motor Group) and Directors of M7 Real Estate (Oxford Properties), Urban-Air Port’s team of aeronautical engineers and aerospace experts brings experience from Airbus, Foster + Partners, Arup, BAA, McKinsey, Hyundai, Vertical Aerospace, EASA, NATS, Qatar Airways, Anduril and elite military units like US Special Forces and the British Army.
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