UrbanV and Foster + Partners collaborate on the development of AAM projects in the Middle East and beyond

Rome, June 12, 2024: UrbanV, an Italian vertiport operator, and Foster + Partners, an international architecture, engineering, and urban and landscape design firm, have signed a memorandum of understanding with the intent to cooperate on development projects in the field of AAM, in particular to enhance the Middle East region and beyond. UrbanV and Foster + Partners will jointly explore opportunities related to site selection and assessment, planning and design of vertiports with high standards of sustainability and safety, and to designing the passenger experience and communication in compliance with local regulations and requirements. There are multiple purposes tied to the goal of jointly exploring these opportunities: on the one hand, leveraging UrbanV's distinctive expertise in vertiport planning and design, network analysis, business planning, route assessment, interaction with regulatory authorities, and the broad network of business relationships in the UAM and AAM sector; on the other hand, leveraging Foster + Partners' expertise and experience in vertiport design, drawing on targeted collaboration with UrbanV to outline a long-term vision for this sector. The ultimate intent is to combine the individual strengths of the two companies to increase the competitiveness of potential AAM project development opportunities. The cooperation thus outlined will enable both parties to benefit from the experience accumulated by each in the design and planning of one or more vertiport facilities in the Middle East region and beyond, giving rise to functional, locally compliant design. The benefit will also concern site selection and assessment: UrbanV will benefit from Foster + Partners' experience in this regard, so as to highlight potential sites for the vertiport network; the firm will assess a site's suitability based on local regulations, accessibility, and other intrinsic factors. The construction of the facility will be assessed based on the recommended and suggested safety and sustainability characteristics, as well as the requirements related to the use of eco-compatible materials and strategies aimed at reducing energy consumption. In order to improve the passenger experience, UrbanV and Foster + Partners will jointly explore new usability concepts and possible integration of the vertiport network in an urban environment. Foster + Partners' experience will also be useful for communication purposes, thanks to the production of graphic and commercial materials aimed at enhancing UrbanV's prestige in the market and in the ongoing debate in the sector. Carlo Tursi, CEO of UrbanV, said: "At UrbanV, we aim to improve people's lives by offering a fast, efficient, safe, and environmentally friendly alternative to existing transport solutions, for the short-haul air transport of cargo and people. We aspire to become a major global operator of vertiport networks and will be global pioneers, defining the first urban air mobility routes worldwide. We are excited to partner with Foster + Partners, a global leader in its field, and look forward to exploring with them the great potential of Advanced Air Mobility in the Middle East market and beyond." Toby Blunt, Senior Partner at Foster + Partners, said: "We are pleased to collaborate with UrbanV, which is driven by the ambition to transform the way people travel. Drawing on our firm's extensive experience in aviation projects, we will seek to develop a new, revolutionary model for the urban movements of the future."