Emerging Technology in Aviation: Advanced Air Mobility Challenges, Efforts, and Resources

About this series: From commercial drone delivery to autonomous planes and battery-powered aircraft, ESA’s aviation experts delve into the policies, programs, and real-world challenges of these new aviation technologies that could soon transform our skies.

As Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) technology continues to rapidly advance and become integrated into the National Airspace System (NAS), there are a variety of challenges in planning for, and integrating, AAM into the aviation transportation ecosystem.

Challenges in Infrastructure Planning

One major challenge in AAM planning is developing the infrastructure needed to support AAM operations. Short takeoff and landing (STOL) and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) AAM aircraft may require dedicated areas from which to take off and land. In instances where AAM aircraft operate at airports, some existing helipads, taxiways, and runways may be sufficient to support AAM operations, while at others, dedicated new vertiports or runways may be needed. Outside of airports, existing community helipad infrastructure may not be able to support eVTOL operations, especially in dense urban corridors, and new vertiports may need to be constructed within communities to support AAM.

Regardless of whether AAM aircraft operate from an on-airport or an off-airport vertiport in the community, AAM will require electric charging and maintenance infrastructure to support their operations. This includes ensuring airports and vertiports have sufficient charging infrastructure, with fire protection, available to replenish the batteries of multiple AAM aircraft simultaneously, quickly, and efficiently. They will also need specialized maintenance facilities designed to support maintaining AAM aircrafts’ specialized batteries and electric propulsion systems.

It is expected that AAM aircraft will have limited operating ranges due to the weight of the aircraft batteries and will require more frequent stops to recharge, relative to traditional combustion-powered aircraft. This will necessitate strategic planning for the placement of charging and maintenance infrastructure, as well as the siting of vertiports to ensure there is adequate coverage to support developing AAM route structures and business models.

Evaluating Environmental Impacts

In many instances, initial operations of AAM aircraft will rely on existing aviation infrastructure at airports and heliports and may not require new construction, airspace changes, or regulatory changes that would trigger a federal action and associated review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

Many vertiports are also expected to be privately developed without federal, state, or local funding, which would further limit the potential for triggering a federal action requiring NEPA review. Conversely, when environmental review is triggered for proposed AAM operations under NEPA, or other state or local requirements, limited data are available to accurately model the potential environmental impacts resulting from the proposed operations.

Flight Procedures and Aircraft Operations

In regard to NAS, AAM aircraft will often require separation from traffic flows and airspace structures developed to support traditional helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft operations, due to the unique characteristics of their flight profiles and modes of operation. This may require the development of AAM-specific flight procedures and traffic flows, especially in the future when AAM aircraft may be flying under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) during periods of inclement weather. Similarly, Instrument Flight Procedures (IFPs) designed for traditional aircraft may not be compatible with AAM vertiport infrastructure.

Community Reception

Lastly, differing factors like noise exposure and visual impacts from AAM operations, relative to traditional aircraft, may make community adoption difficult, and presents another hurdle in AAM planning. Due to the autonomous nature of many AAM aircraft and use of cameras to facilitate operations, some communities may be hesitant to approve the siting of vertiports or may express opposition to overflights of their communities over privacy and security concerns. Likewise, due to the infancy of AAM technology and use of batteries, communities may also be resistant to adopting AAM due to the unproven safety record of the aircraft, proximity of operations relative to their communities, and concerns over what may happen in the unfortunate event an aircraft may need to conduct an emergency landing in their community.

Communities may also be hesitant due to concerns of visual and noise impacts generated from their operations. Although in many instances AAM aircraft will be smaller in size and quieter than traditional fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, they are also expected to operate closer to communities, at lower altitudes, and with different tonal qualities. Drones may also heighten these concerns, as drones operate at lower altitudes than traditional aircraft and produce distinct noise profiles, which may increase sensitivity to additional aircraft operations.

Planning for AAM Integration

At the federal level, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is leading efforts to integrate AAM. FAA is developing the safety and certification standards for AAM aircraft, pilot training requirements, and standards for the design and siting of vertiports. FAA is also updating the various air traffic control and navigation systems to handle the integration of AAM into NAS.

As part of this broader work, FAA has published a variety of AAM-related planning resources, including the AAM Implementation Plan (also referred to as “Innovate28”), an Engineering Brief on Vertiport Design Standards, and an Urban Air Mobility Concept of Operations. Additionally, FAA established regulations for the operation of AAM and certification standards for AAM and pilots as outlined in the FAA’s 2024 Final Rule for Integration of Powered-Lift.

Aligned with FAA’s efforts, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) developed a National Strategy and Plan for AAM developed through the AAM Interagency Working Group (AAM IWG).The AAM IWG was established by Congress as part of the Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act (Public Law No: 117-203) to plan and coordinate efforts related to safety, operations, infrastructure, physical security and cybersecurity, and federal investment necessary for maturation of the national AAM ecosystem, particularly passenger-carrying aircraft.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), a member of AAM IWG, has also been assisting federal agencies in planning efforts by conducting research into the benefits and potential environmental impacts of AAM integration. Specifically, NASA has developed a comprehensive AAM Playbook detailing its extensive AAM research, the support they are providing to plan for AAM, and documenting the barriers to entry of large-scale AAM operations.

Resources for AAM Planning

State and city governments, along with airport operators, are also developing frameworks and resources for the integration of AAM into regional and local transportation systems.

In Florida, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has developed an AAM Land Use Compatibility and Site Approval Guidebook and toolkit for local governments to plan for AAM and educate communities. Similarly, the Ohio Department of Transportation has developed a statewide AAM Framework to position the state for expected AAM growth.

At the local level, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation has developed a comprehensive Urban Air Mobility Policy Framework, in preparation for the 2028 Olympics, to guide how the City of Los Angeles will regulate AAM, develop land use policy, and develop future policy for AAM implementation.

ESA’s Team of Aviation Experts are Here to Assist

ESA has reputable experience working with different states and airports to help plan for the development of AAM infrastructure and integration into communities. Our team has supported FDOT in preparing for AAM in Florida and GOAA’s potential AAM operations at MCO. ESA has also been extensively involved in the evaluation of environmental impacts of other emerging aviation technologies and has been at the forefront of NEPA reviews for the establishment of drone package delivery operations across the U.S.

We offer comprehensive aviation planning and environmental services to support government officials, airports, and communities. For additional background on AAM and how ESA can support your AAM planning needs, please feel free to reach out to Adam Scholten, Douglas DiCarlo, Neal Wolfe, or Mike Arnold, and be sure to stay tuned for future articles from ESA on other exciting emerging aviation technologies.

Above: AAM illustration with designs by macrovector/Freepik and sentavio/Freepik.