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What is a vertiport?

A vertiport is where an air taxi takes off and lands. Here’s how the FAA says one should be built, from the size of the pad to the marking painted on it. Every fact comes from the FAA. We checked them on October 11, 2026.

What counts as a vertiport?

To the FAA, a vertiport is a type of heliport. It serves vertical takeoff and landing aircraft with three or more propulsors, rather than helicopters with one or two main rotors. The FAA’s design guidance is Engineering Brief 105A, issued December 27, 2024. It revises the first version from September 21, 2022. Source: FAA Engineering Brief 105A

Which aircraft does the guidance cover?

The brief is written for a reference aircraft with:

  • Battery-electric power and three or more propulsive units
  • Two or more battery systems
  • A maximum takeoff weight of 12,500 pounds or less
  • A controlling dimension of 50 feet or less
  • A pilot on board, flying in visual meteorological conditions (weather clear enough to fly by sight)

It also assumes one aircraft uses the landing area at a time. How the FAA certifies powered-lift aircraft. Source: FAA Engineering Brief 105A

How big is the landing area?

The pad has three nested parts. Each is sized from the aircraft itself: D is the smallest circle around the whole aircraft, and RD is the smallest circle around just its rotors or fans.

  • Touchdown and liftoff area (TLOF): at least 1 RD across. This is the load-bearing surface the aircraft lands on.
  • Final approach and takeoff area (FATO): at least 2 RD. The aircraft finishes its approach and starts its takeoff over this area.
  • Safety area: at least 2.5 D across, surrounding the FATO.

So an aircraft whose rotors fit in a 40-foot circle needs a pad at least 40 feet across, inside a FATO at least 80 feet across. The FAA says the FATO could be smaller for aircraft that prove precise landings during certification. Source: FAA Engineering Brief 105A

How do air taxis fly in and out?

Along a clear approach path. It starts at the edge of the FATO and climbs at a slope of 8:1, one foot up for every eight feet out. At 4,000 feet out, it’s 500 feet wide. Source: FAA Engineering Brief 105A

How can you tell a vertiport from a heliport?

Look at the pad. A vertiport uses the familiar “H” and adds the letters “VTL,” 3–5 feet tall. A box on the pad lists the largest aircraft size and weight it can take. Source: FAA Engineering Brief 105A

Can a vertiport go on a roof?

Yes. The FAA calls a vertiport elevated when the pad sits at least 30 inches above the surrounding surface, as on a rooftop. Elevated pads need fall protection, and the FAA prefers concrete for the surface. Source: FAA Engineering Brief 105A

What about the wind from the rotors?

The brief adds a downwash and outwash caution area. It’s a zone where people and property are kept clear while aircraft operate, anywhere the wind from the rotors could reach 34.5 miles per hour or more. Source: FAA Engineering Brief 105A

Can a heliport become a vertiport?

Yes. The FAA says a heliport that wants to serve these aircraft should follow the brief and be marked as a vertiport, unless it already meets the brief’s size, downwash, and safety requirements. Source: FAA, Advanced Air Mobility Infrastructure

Things you should know

  • The brief is guidance, not law. The FAA says following it is voluntary.
  • It’s a first step. The FAA plans a fuller, performance-based standard as more flight data comes in.
  • It doesn’t cover how aircraft are flown, only how sites are built.

Source: FAA Engineering Brief 105A

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