Pre-feasibility study for a Vertiport in the Municipality of Piacenza

Pre-feasibility study for the establishment of a Vertiport in the Municipality of Piacenza

The pre-feasibility study for the establishment of a vertiport in Piacenza is pioneering in the context of Urban Air Mobility themes and has been structured around three main lines of activity: market analysis, demand analysis (potential), and location hypotheses.

The market analysis and its prospects involved an in-depth examination of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, their temporal outlook, and the technological barriers associated with such technologies. An overview of the global and national market was provided, and insights were developed regarding the ground infrastructure enabling these new services – Vertiports – as well as potential services, taking into account industry regulations. Furthermore, a detailed analysis was conducted on both global and Italian cases of experimental vertiport implementations, examining the regulatory framework in the sector.

The analysis of potential demand was conducted using big data, derived from mobile network cells, and focused on exchange flows with possible attractor centres within a radius of approximately 150 km from Piacenza. These attractor centres included the city of Milan and the airports of Milan (Maplensa and Linate), Bergamo, Bologna and Turin.

The potential locations for the vertiport within the territory of the
Municipality of Piacenza were examined, taking into account the necessary infrastructure elements and European guidelines provided by EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency). The selection criteria favoured pre-existing, accessible areas. Finally, the estimate of the minimum required square footage and associated costs have been prepared.