Italy Unveils National Advanced Air Mobility Plan with at Least 10 Vertiports
Italy's Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) has published a draft National Airport Plan proposing at least 6 urban vertiports and 4 airport vertiports in major cities including Milan and Rome. The plan also calls for upgrading 186 existing facilities to support eVTOL and broader Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) operations, while designating Taranto-Grottaglie Airport as an international test hub for suborbital flight and emerging air transport technologies.
Highlights
- ENAC's draft National Airport Plan proposes at least 6 urban vertiports and 4 airport vertiports across Milan, Rome, Turin, Venice, Bari, and Cortina to support eVTOL and AAM commercialization.
- 186 existing facilities will be upgraded nationwide: 70% through simple system installations and 30% through major structural expansion, covering 46 provinces.
- Taranto-Grottaglie Airport has been officially designated by Italy's Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport as an international test center for suborbital flight, microsatellite launches, and AAM innovation.
- ENAC defines AAM as electrically powered, primarily eVTOL-capable air systems encompassing both crewed and uncrewed aircraft, including drones.
- The plan identifies urban integration — including noise, visual impact, and environmental standards — as the primary challenge for scaling AAM infrastructure in Italy.
Italy's Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) has published a draft National Airport Plan that, among other measures, aims to launch a comprehensive national discussion on Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) development opportunities and to establish testing and regulatory frameworks for bringing AAM technologies to market.
ENAC defines AAM as "air systems that are typically electrically powered and primarily capable of vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL), encompassing both crewed and uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAS — Unmanned Aircraft Systems, including drones)."
Key Challenges for Urban Integration
The plan identifies the integration of AAM infrastructure into urban environments as its primary challenge, noting the need to establish standards for environmental impact, visual intrusion, and noise levels.
National Vertiport Development Layout
To advance air mobility integration at a national level, Italy plans to develop at least 6 urban vertiports and 4 airport vertiports, with sites selected across the country's major cities and airports of greatest strategic value for AAM development:
- Milan: 2 urban vertiports / vertical hubs + 1 airport vertical hub
- Rome: 2 urban vertiports / vertipads + 1 airport vertical hub
- Turin: Vertiport facilities
- Venice: 1 airport vertical hub
- Bari: Vertiport facilities
- Cortina: Vertipad
ENAC stated that further in-depth studies will be conducted to precisely define infrastructure requirements — covering both new construction and upgrades to existing facilities — with a focus on transport planning integration and demand analysis.
186 Existing Facilities to Be Upgraded
The plan also proposes upgrading 186 existing facilities to enable AAM operations. This figure is derived from 94 facilities already identified across Rome, Milan, Turin, Venice, and Bari, plus an average of 2 facilities per major province within the catchment areas of those five cities, spanning 46 provinces in total.
Of the facilities earmarked for conversion, 70% will undergo simple conversions — namely the installation of systems and technical equipment required to support AAM services — while the remaining 30% will require more substantial works, including site expansion and the addition of take-off and landing zones.
Taranto-Grottaglie Airport: A Hub for Suborbital Flight and Emerging Technologies
The plan also includes proposals to expand high-altitude airspace operations. Italy's Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport has designated Taranto-Grottaglie Airport as the dedicated facility for this domain, with a focus on:
- Development of suborbital flight operations
- Space access activities, including the launch of microsatellites from aerial and maritime platforms
- Establishment of a technology center housing international laboratories dedicated to AAM and other emerging air transport technologies
ENAC noted that the initiative will be formally launched with sustainability as its core objective, following the review and validation of business plans submitted by relevant companies.
Image credit: Shutterstock
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