The Future of Advanced Air Mobility

Special Reports

In-depth background and analysis on key issues impacting the development of new aviation technologies and business models. These reports are updated with fresh developments and information, and can be downloaded as PDFs.

Honeywell Fly-by-wire
Avionics

Avionics

Advances in avionics technology are critical to unlocking the potential of autonomous urban air mobility

Urban Air Mobility (UAM) has become a buzzword in the mainstream transportation industry with high-profile companies such as Uber, Bell and Sikorsky jumping into the fray. Behind the scenes, many component manufacturers are diligently working to solve the problems that naysayers contend will keep UAM from becoming reality for decades, at least at a scale that Uber imagines.

Volocopter
The Regulatory Environment

The Regulatory Environment

Many eVTOL and UAM pioneers appear to underestimate what it will take to meet complex regulatory requirements for their new aircraft.

Leading aviation regulators, including FAA in the U.S. and EASA in Europe, are stepping up their engagement with the electric vertical takeoff and landing and urban air mobility sector about how rules and standards will be set and met. But much work remains to be done on this front, and some companies appear to have underestimated how complex this could be.

Embraer DreamMaker 4
Ground Infrastructure

Ground Infrastructure

Some would question whether ambitious urban air mobility launch timelines are realistic in view of the ground infrastructure challenges.

It will take significant investment and careful planning to allow new electric vertical takeoff aircraft to safely and cost effectively operate in urban environments. The required ground infrastructure, and how these aircraft will integrate with the wider transportation ecosystem, is now a major area of focus for those trying to make urban air mobility a reality.

Jaunt MOU
Air Traffic Management

Air Traffic Management

Autonomous eVTOL aircraft join drones in posing air traffic management challenges

Regulators and air traffic management agencies already face a challenge integrating unmanned aircraft systems, or drones, into controlled airspace. But now, passenger-carrying electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft are demanding access too, and some of them will be operated autonomously without a pilot. So how will the system cope with what's being called unmanned traffic management?

Vertical Moody
Power Technology

Power Technology

Battery technology is still falling short as a long-term answer to the needs of eVTOL aircraft.

Battery technology is still falling short as a long-term answer to the needs of electric aircraft. Lighter, more capable batteries--or alternatives like hydrogen fuel cells--will be needed to allow aircraft to fulfill their potential to reduce aviation’s carbon footprint. For now, hybrid electric propulsion seems the most viable option for many new aircraft developers.