VPorts to create first international electric, advanced air-mobility corridor between Syracuse and Quebec

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — A Canadian company on Tuesday announced plans to create the first international electric, advanced air mobility (AAM) corridor between Syracuse Hancock International Airport and Quebec.

VPorts is a Mirabel, Québec–based firm that specializes in the design, construction, and operation of advanced AAM infrastructure, per a release from the Syracuse airport.

The corridor stretches from the Syracuse airport to the VPort vertiport in Mirabel, Quebec, a suburb of Montreal.

As described in the release, the corridor will “foster the establishment of an AAM ecosystem that will provide a platform” for full commercial, cargo-transport operations using electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, or what the company described as “large, helicopter-sized drones” capable of transporting commercial cargo and people.

The first eVTOL aircraft test flights are planned for 2023.

A consortium of international organizations including VPorts; Syracuse–based NUAIR; Syracuse Hancock International Airport; Aéro Montréal; Innovitech; the Unmanned Aerial System Centre of Excellence (Alma); and Helijet International have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to establish international electric AAM corridors between Québec and the U.S.

NUAIR is short for Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance, Inc. The nonprofit focuses on UAS (uncrewed aircraft systems) operations, aeronautical research, safety management, and consulting services. A UAS includes a drone and equipment used to control its flight. A drone is also referred to in the industry as an uncrewed aerial vehicle, or UAV.

“The aim of the corridors is to build an AAM ecosystem that will provide a platform for full commercial cargo transport operations using eVTOLs,” Fethi Chebil, president and founder of VPorts, said. “They will allow the consortium’s members to explore all aspects of AAM, including goods transportation, charging readiness, stakeholder management, business cases, security and safety protocols, social acceptability and urban integration of infrastructure and operations. Many companies and organizations rapidly investing in these related new capabilities are present in Central New York State today with good prospects of growth, and others are likely to be attracted to the region.”

Gov. Kathy Hochul recently announced that the state will be providing NUAIR with an additional $21 million in “Central New York Rising” Upstate Revitalization Initiative funding. NUAIR will use the funding to continue its work and focus on the UAS and AAM industry hub in Central New York and the Mohawk Valley.

The additional money will allow for infrastructure testing and deployment to enable advanced industry applications, state agency adoption of UAS, AAM development, and associated workforce development.