U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean P. Duffy has officially announced the nation’s first-ever National Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Strategy. This landmark strategy provides a comprehensive roadmap to integrate electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, unmanned aerial systems, and other advanced air transportation technologies into the national airspace system.
What the Strategy Aims to Achieve
The new National AAM Strategy outlines nearly 40 recommendations and actionable steps designed to position the U.S. as a global leader in this emerging sector. It addresses critical areas including airspace modernization, infrastructure readiness, enhanced safety standards, and community planning.
Speaking at the announcement, Secretary Duffy said, “Since the Wright Brothers’ first flight in 1903, American aviation has led the world in innovation. Today, we have a bold strategy that opens the skies of the future.” He emphasized that AAM vehicles will transform not only passenger transport but also emergency response, healthcare access, cargo logistics, and defense operations.
What is AAM and Why Does it Matter?
Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) refers to the safe and efficient integration of next-generation air vehicles, especially eVTOLs, operating below 5,000 feet in airspace typically unused by conventional commercial aircraft. This technology holds the potential to create a new urban air mobility paradigm, from city air taxis to regional air connections and critical service delivery.
The strategy is structured around six core components: infrastructure, automation, workforce, safety, community planning, and airspace management. The federal government aims to collaborate closely with the FAA, local authorities, and industry stakeholders to ensure the safe integration of these new technologies.
Roadmap and Goals
The plan presents a four-stage approach, from policy development and R&D to stakeholder engagement and technical implementation. The roadmap targets initial operational AAM flights by 2027, with more advanced autonomous operations expected by 2035.
Industry leaders and aviation experts view the strategy as a crucial step for maintaining the U.S.’s global leadership in aviation innovation. The development of AAM technologies is expected to drive economic growth, create new job opportunities, and make air transportation more accessible and efficient.