VERTIPORT AUTOMATION SYSTEM (VAS) Concept of Operations

This document outlines the concept of operations for a Vertiport Automation System (VAS), a centralized digital platform designed to manage vertiport operations. It details VAS functionalities, integration within Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), business services, and challenges to safely and efficiently scale the future vertiport ecosystem.

The VERTIPORT AUTOMATION SYSTEM (VAS) Concept of Operations (CONOPS) presents a comprehensive framework for the development and deployment of VAS, aimed at enabling safe, efficient, and scalable Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) operations through improved vertiport infrastructure management. Authored by aviation and technology leaders, the document articulates the critical operational environment and associated functional capabilities of VAS as a specialized Provider of Services for Urban Air Mobility (UAM).

VAS is designed to coordinate vertiport activities including resource scheduling, trajectory management, safety monitoring, financial transactions, and stakeholder collaboration. It supports the proliferation of vertiports—categorized as vertistops, vertiports, and vertihubs—to form a dynamic, interoperable network facilitating efficient passenger and cargo transport.

Key innovations include the adoption of Trajectory Based Operations (TBO) enhanced with a unique fifth dimension of economic value, integration with System Wide Information Management (SWIM), and a modular, scalable architecture adaptable to diverse vertiport types.

The CONOPS emphasizes critical VAS services such as conflict detection, resource management, incident handling, passenger processing, and yield management, alongside their interconnectivity with ancillary technologies like surveillance, meteorology, communication, and ground service equipment. It recognizes challenges including regulatory compliance, cybersecurity, data privacy, legacy system integration, and public acceptance, outlining how VAS addresses these through collaborative decision making and human-machine interfaces.

Detailed operational scenarios illustrate VAS supporting nominal flights, diversions, and emergencies, highlighting how automation and shared data environments transform vertiport management. Conclusively, the VAS CONOPS establishes a foundational vision for a digital operating system critical to realizing the potential of a sustainable and interconnected AAM ecosystem.