The Tech Behind Tomorrow’s Electric Aviation Hubs

Airports test virtual models to gauge future energy and infrastructure needs

17 Jul 2025

America’s electric aviation ambitions are inching from vision to blueprint as airports experiment with digital twins to gauge what future aircraft and vertiports might require. Once seen as a novelty, these virtual models are gaining traction as planning tools for a sector still far from commercial maturity.

Most airports are not building full virtual replicas. Instead, they are running small pilot projects that reuse existing operational data to test layouts, vet ideas, and spot pressure points long before concrete is poured. One lesson stands out. High activity vertiports could draw enormous amounts of energy each day, pushing past what many airport power systems can currently deliver. That possibility has sparked early conversations about grid upgrades, smart charging, and creative on site energy strategies.

Familiar names from the industrial tech world are appearing in these conversations. Dassault Systemes and Honeywell Aerospace offer modeling platforms that planners often reference when sketching early concepts. These tools are not yet embedded as core infrastructure for electric aviation hubs, but they are shaping simulations and helping local teams coordinate across agencies and industries. The idea is simple. Design virtually today to avoid costly surprises tomorrow.

Progress remains uneven. Many airports still lack the sensors and unified data needed for high quality modeling. Cybersecurity worries are rising as charging networks and operational systems grow more connected. Regulators continue to insist on physical testing for anything tied to safety. And the industry itself is young. eVTOL certification is ongoing, vertiport rules are still shifting, and only a small slice of planned routes is close to launch. For now, digital twin work sits firmly in the exploratory camp.

Even so, analysts see real value in the early experiments. By revealing potential choke points and pressure scenarios, digital twins can help airports make decisions grounded in evidence rather than guesswork. If the current momentum holds, the virtual groundwork laid in 2025 could quietly shape how electric aviation expands from scattered pilots into a stable, scaled transport network.