Skyports has announced that infrastructure and construction specialist ACS Group has made an equity investment in Skyports, to become the largest investor in the company.
ACS Group, which in 2023 generated revenue of USD 39 billion, has invested via its wholly owned infrastructure development/concessions business Iridium Concesiones de Infraestructuras S.A., (IRIDIUM), focused on sustainable and innovative transportation solutions.
The capital will support key developments on both sides of Skyports’ business. Skyports Infrastructure, which earlier this year announced the signing of a tripartite agreement with the Roads and Transport Authority of Dubai (RTA) and Joby Aviation, will use the funding to build out its vertiports ahead of the launch of air taxi services in Dubai by 2026 and continue to progress other markets. Skyports Drone Services will continue to build on its existing services, including recently launched offshore energy asset deliveries, medical deliveries, linear asset inspections and water quality monitoring services.
The two companies will also explore how drone delivery and inspection services can be incorporated into ACS Group’s substantial portfolio of infrastructure assets and construction and mining projects.
The investment will see IRIDIUM CEO, Nuria Haltiwanger, join the Skyports Board of Directors as Chairperson. Ramon Villaamil and Vicente Maraña will also join the Board.
In addition to the new capital invested by ACS, existing shareholder, Paris-based airport operator, Groupe ADP will invest additional capital in Skyports’ Series C funding round. Groupe ADP and Skyports first partnered during Skyports’ Series A funding round in 2019. Since then, the two companies have collaborated on infrastructure projects with the aim of advancing the development of vertiport technology and operations, including the first European vertiport testbed in Paris, which was inaugurated in November 2022.
Skyports also announced last week that it has acquired Australian cargo drone operator Redbird Aero.
For more information