Vertiport5G ‑ 5G enabled Vertiport for critical Drone operations

The project will pave the way for the next generation of air mobility by laying the foundations for a digital airspace where thousands of drones can coexist safely – benefiting society, industry and the environment.

As the number of drones and VTOL aircraft increases, new demands are being placed on how we monitor and control traffic in lower airspace. Traditional methods such as ADS-B or GNSS (GPS) are not sufficient to handle thousands of simultaneous aircraft in complex environments. In addition, new standards are required for vertiports – landing sites for VTOLs – in both urban and rural areas.

This preliminary study aims to plan a collaborative project to establish vertiports – take-off and landing sites for drones – that use 5G technology for safe, efficient and future-proof operation. The vertiports are planned in Norrköping and Sundsvall, with support from Telia's 5G platform Northstar.

The preliminary study includes:

Identification of technical requirements and solutions
Dialogue with industry players, manufacturers and authorities
Plan for demonstrations and test beds
Cost and business analysis
Links to other innovation projects and test centres

The result will be a report that lays the foundation for a larger collaborative project with broad industry participation and a strategy for future 5G-based vertiport solutions in Sweden.