Skyportz has appointed Robert Bassey as technical and regulatory advisory lead to support the Australian vertiport developer's entry into the United States with Aeroberm, its modular vertiport system designed to manage downwash and accelerate scalable advanced air mobility (AAM) infrastructure.

Bassey is recognised as a key contributor to national vertiport standards in the U.S. During his time with the FAA Office of Airports, he authored major parts of Engineering Brief 105A, which defines criteria for layout, downwash and outwash, site safety and fire protection for eVTOL operations.

CEO Clem Newton-Brown says: “Robert brings rare, hands-on experience from inside the FAA framework, exactly the expertise we need as we prepare Aeroberm for compliant entry into the United States. His work on national vertiport design criteria gives Skyportz deep insight into how regulators and airports will evaluate safety, operational integrity and design intent as eVTOL networks scale.”

Bassey will help ensure Aeroberm’s design and operational features align with key expectations in the U.S., including noise mitigation and emergency response. He will also support coordination with airports, agencies, OEMs and infrastructure partners.

He serves as CSO for AAM at engineering firm EIT, heads Avika Sky, and leads AAM Blueprint Advisory, roles which give him a systems integration perspective that complements Skyportz’s deployment model.

“The industry needs vertiport solutions that are not only innovative but grounded in clear regulatory pathways and real-world operational planning,” Bassey says. “Aeroberm’s modular approach is compelling for airports and communities seeking scalable infrastructure. I'm looking forward to helping Skyportz translate strong engineering into design intent that supports FAA-aligned compliance and safe deployment.”