Land Use Analysis on Vertiports Based on a Case Study of the San Francisco Bay Area

This whitepaper establishes a framework for a systematic approach to vertiport site selection using GIS analysis based on a case study of the San Francisco Bay Area. It offers planners a set of stakeholder-informed parameters for a preliminary GIS analysis for urban, suburban, and exurban site suitability models. The goal is to provide a consistent approach to vertiport site selection that can be adapted to different regions.

This study, titled "Land Use Analysis on Vertiports Based on a Case Study of the San Francisco Bay Area," provides a framework for systematically selecting vertiport sites using GIS analysis. Focusing on the San Francisco Bay Area as a case study, it gives planners a set of parameters, informed by stakeholders, to conduct a preliminary no-cost GIS suitability analysis for vertiports in urban, suburban, and exurban settings.

The parameters were identified based on safety, access, and equity and assigned high, medium, or low priority levels. This allows the approach to be consistent across a region while remaining adaptable to local considerations like zoning.

The study team analyzed parcels across five Bay Area counties through GIS modeling to identify suitable vertiport locations. Based on the assigned priority levels, urban San Francisco had the most suitable parcels at 1392, while suburban San Jose had 43 and exurban Livermore only 3.

The study makes several recommendations for planners looking to prepare for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and vertiports:

In summary, this white paper establishes a replicable GIS-based approach for identifying safe, accessible, and equitable vertiport sites across urban, suburban, and rural environments. It will help planners proactively prepare for the coming era of advanced air mobility.
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