Expanding air mobility in Australia: Victoria’s new action plan

Victorian Government launches strategic framework to promote vertiport development

Skyportz, an Australian vertiport developer, has strongly supported the newly released Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Action Plan for the State of Victoria. This plan represents a significant step forward in building the necessary infrastructure for air taxi operations and other AAM initiatives.

Five years ago, Melbourne was chosen by Uber Air, along with Dallas and Los Angeles, as a possible city for its first air taxi services. Since then, the industry has been waiting for clear government guidance on land use planning for vertiports.

“Australia’s Advanced Air Mobility industry has been waiting for government policy leadership on vertiport land use planning to get things moving, so we welcome today’s release by the Victorian State Government,” said Clem Newton-Brown, CEO of Skyportz.

According to the Action Plan, the Department of Transport and Planning will develop and publish initial guidance next year. These materials will support the assessment of early vertiport applications under the existing Victorian regulatory framework. By 2026, the Department will review and update specific land use and development regulations to support a coordinated approach to vertiport planning infrastructure.

In addition, the Department of Transport and Planning will explore opportunities to integrate Advanced Air Mobility and zero-emission aviation technology into future Victorian transport, precinct development and freight policy, strategy and frameworks.

“This policy announcement is a green light for the property development industry to start planning for this revolution in the way we transport people and goods,” said Newton-Brown. He stressed that “vertiport infrastructure is the missing piece of the puzzle for this industry. Without new vertiport landing sites in places where people want to go, aircraft will never reach their potential.”

Skyportz aims to decouple air traffic from traditional airports and enable commercial and industrial property developers to operate vertiports. Over 400 property sites in Australia have expressed interest in hosting a vertiport.

“Interest from the real estate industry is growing rapidly – ​​we expect these developments with vertiports to command higher rents as companies demand drone cargo and air taxi services for their customers,” added Newton-Brown.

The Australian Aviation Authority (CASA) has also issued guidelines for vertiports, underlining its commitment to promoting advanced air mobility in Australia. The guidelines suggest that new vertiports do not allow helicopters to be used, in order to encourage community support for advanced air mobility.

“This gives the AAM industry an opportunity to demonstrate to the community that a vertiport (serving only air taxis) might be more desirable than a heliport. If the community is to accept AAM as an industry, obtaining this ‘social license’ is vital. As the vertiport guidelines clearly exclude the use of helicopters, we hope that local councils and communities will be more accepting of AAM in their communities,” concluded Newton-Brown.

The implementation of this action plan is intended to catapult Victoria to the forefront of the advanced air mobility sector and promote innovation in air transport and logistics.

Read more: