Building a large urban droneport in a subarctic climate is an innovative project with no direct templates or guidelines. After extensive planning, the site is now paved and the buildings are in place, but some work remains before one of Europe’s largest urban drone airports can be inaugurated.
To achieve cost-effectiveness and flexibility, the droneport consists of modular buildings. The office and conference area features large glass windows, integrated with a 240-square-meter hangar that has enough height to allow drones to hover indoors. The hangar includes a 4 x 4-meter gate connected to a 15 x 15 meter takeoff and landing area.
“To create societal benefits through drones, suitable infrastructure is needed on the ground and in the air. The construction of Skellefteå Droneport establishes unique conditions to consolidate drone-related services in one location and drive development forward in collaboration with various stakeholders,” says Henrik Littorin, Program Manager at ELIS, the principal organization behind the testbed that includes the droneport.
Remaining work includes building an observation and maneuver deck around the gate, marking the takeoff and landing area, installing an energy-efficient heating solution in the hangar, and constructing fences and gates around the premises. Once completed, it will probably be one of Europe’s largest urban droneports.
Simultaneously, work is underway to establish airspace around the droneport to enable necessary tests and drone flights.
Skellefteå Municipality has developed the droneport site in collaboration with partners such as Skanska. Skellefteå Kraft and Envico have also been involved in the planning, particularly due to the specific lighting requirements for a facility designed for drone-related activities.
Skellefteå Airport will take on the responsibility of operating the droneport, aiming to provide a hub for testing, development, training, and commercialization of drone services in an urban context, in collaboration with various stakeholders.
The formal inauguration of the droneport is scheduled for the first quarter of 2025. However, before the official opening, the area will host activities, including a Vinnova-funded drone logistics project.
ELIS Program is a development program for electric aviation with the ambition to become a leading hub in research, development and commercialization of electrified aviation in Sweden and beyond. The program is facilitated by Skellefteå Science City, Skellefteå municipality's innovation company, and financed by Skellefteå Kraft, Skellefteå Airport and Skellefteå municipality.
The take-off and landing area and surrounding areas have now been paved with materials that significantly reduce climate impact. By using Asfalt Zero – a climate-smart asphalt made with pine oil – Skellefteå is setting an example for environmentally friendly infrastructure.
It started with an idea on a post-it note two years ago, and by the end of this year, the idea will become a reality. Skellefteå Droneport is one of the first droneports in Europe being built in an urban environment. The Droneport will be a physical space for development, research, education, and commercialization of drone-related solutions.
If everything goes according to plan, Skellefteå can make history in terms of electrified aviation. Here is the world's most sustainable pilot academy, a test bed for battery- and hydrogen-powered flights and soon one of Europe's largest droneports. The team at the ELIS program with Henrik Littorin, Magnus Wiklund and Annelie Viksten tell us more about the continued plans for electric flights in Skellefteå.