Special Report: Urban airports – the future on our manufacturing doorstep

As zero emissions travel becomes not just a goal but an approaching reality, manufacturing will have to adapt. Automotive supply chains are undergoing significant changes as the balance switches from production of internal combustion engines (ICE) to battery-powered electric vehicles (BEV).

It is not just ground travel that is changing – aviation is embracing a zero-emissions future, supported by heavy UK government investment in hydrogen and battery-power propulsion systems.

Vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft open up the prospect of flying taxis operating in our town and city centres. With large-sized drones also changing he future of logistics, the government is also backing a revolutionary idea for dealing with both passengers and cargo – Urban Airports.

In this interview with the visionary founder of urban-Air Port Ltd, Ricky Sandhu, Nick Peters asks how this will affect our lives and bring new opportunities for UK manufacturing.