NASA + Advanced Air Mobility (AAM)

NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate

www.nasa.gov
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NASA’s Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) research will transform our 

communities by bringing the movement of people and goods off the 

ground, on demand, and into the sky. 
What does Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) look like?

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This air transportation system of the future will include low-altitude passenger transport, cargo delivery, and public service capabilities 
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Strong Domestic AAM Industry Base

According to a 2021 Deloitte study the U.S. AAM market could reach $115 billion annually, potentially creating 280,000 jobs

Note: NASA does not endorse any of the companies shown above. This slide is to show that there is innovation happening within U.S. industry with a few vehicle examples.
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Industry is building new types of low-altitude aircraft.

Industry wants to get these aircraft certified by the 

Federal Aviation Administration.

Industry wants to invent a world where air taxis and 

drones are used routinely for passenger transport, 

emergency response, and in the delivery of goods. 

NASA is delivering data to guide the industry's 

development of electric air taxis and drones. 

NASA is assisting the Federal Aviation Administration 

in safely integrating these vehicles into the national 

airspace.

NASA will set the stage for a flourishing industry by 

2030.

NASA’s Role

Industry’s Role
NASA’s Areas of Research

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• How these aircraft 

will fly routinely in 

cities and rural 

areas 

• Integration with 

already established 

transportation 

systems, buildings, 

and city policy

• Communication 

between aircraft and 

air traffic control

• Location of aircraft in 

the airspace while 

flying

• Automation of air 

traffic control systems 

for unexpected events

• Vertiport research, 

where the aircraft 

will take off and 

land

• Power research, 

how the aircraft will 

be powered 

• Digital support for 

aircraft and 

operators 

• Safety of the aircraft 

design materials

• Noise of the aircraft, 

making sure it is quiet

• Ride quality for 

passengers

• Aircraft automation –

software and hardware 

for self-flying aircraft

AIRSPACE INFRASTRUCTURE AIRCRAFT COMMUNITY 

INTEGRATION
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NASA wants to ensure the U.S. has global 

leadership in the Advanced Air Mobility 

market = U.S. economic benefit 

• Accelerate technology: NASA is researching the total system 

through modeling, simulations, and flights to see how the pieces will 

work together in harmony (airspace, vertiports, aircraft, automation).

• Accelerate policy and guidance: NASA is informing standards that 

need to be met for these aircraft to fly to enable regulators like the FAA 

to establish the rules. 

• Accelerate aviation leadership: NASA will help springboard the AAM 

industry to enable successful domestic industry business models. 

NASA’s Value
NASA’s Advanced Air Mobility Work = Benefits to You 

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EMERGENCY RESPONSE HEALTHCARE AUTOMATION VERTIPORTS

TRAVEL TIME NOISE INFRASTRUCTURE FUTURE AIRSPACE

SAFETY RIDE QUALITY CARGO DELIVERY ACCESSIBILITY
NASA’s AAM Partnerships and Collaborations

1. Domestic Research Partners

• Academia 

• Companies working on AAM aircraft development 

• Companies working on AAM airspace

• Companies working on AAM infrastructure 

• Other federal government agencies

• City and state local governments 

• Standards development organizations 

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3. AAM Ecosystem Working Groups 

“AEWGs give NASA researchers a front 

row seat to industry issues needing to be 

solved, which helps ensure our research 

and development around AAM is relevant 

and timely.” - Davis Hackenberg, previous 

AAM mission integration manager

https://nari.arc.nasa.gov/aam-portal/

2. International Forum for Aviation 

Research (IFAR)
NASA is working with cities and states to brainstorm 

the ways that air taxis and drones, and the 

infrastructure for this new transportation system, 

could be integrated into city planning.

The goal is to develop a joint document to describe 

how this would work in various locations. 

• Massachusetts Department of Transportation

• Minnesota Department of Transportation

• The North Central Texas Council of Governments 

Department of Transportation

• The Ohio Unmanned Aircraft Systems Center of the 

Ohio Department of Transportation

• City of Orlando, Florida

The team plans to illustrate this concept by using 

computer modeling software to analyze what 

elements a city would need to make this successful.

City and State 

Partnerships

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Transfer Data to the FAA

As NASA research is ongoing, the data 

and results are being transferred to the 

Federal Aviation Administration to help 

influence future rules and policy. 

NASA is answering questions like: • What are the design requirements for 

safe and quiet vehicles? 

• What are the pilot training qualifications 

to fly these aircraft?

• What infrastructure would an airport 

need to include to support these 

aircraft? 
NASA Projects Supporting AAM

• Revolutionary Vertical Lift Technology 

• Transformational Tools and Technologies

• Convergent Aeronautics Solutions

• System-Wide Safety 

• Air Mobility Pathfinders

• Airspace Traffic Management Exploration

• Advanced Capabilities Emergency 

Response Operations 

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NASA Centers Supporting AAM

Advanced Air Mobility research is 

happening at all four NASA aeronautics 

centers located in California, Virginia and 

Ohio. • Ames Research Center: Silicon Valley, 

California

• Armstrong Flight Research Center: 

Edwards, California

• Glenn Research Center: Cleveland, 

Ohio 

• Langley Research Center: Hampton, 

Virginia 

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Want to Learn More?

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NASA’s AAM website: nasa.gov/aam

NASA’s Advanced Air Mobility Playbook series: in both 

English and Spanish. Video series and corresponding 

web articles. Season one in English is live here: 

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-is-creating-anadvanced-air-mobility-playbook/

OSTEM content: Students can engage with the 

principles of AAM in a variety of ways — including 

hands-on STEM activities, coding activities, math 

lessons, and more. https://www.nasa.gov/advancedair-mobility-aam-stem-toolkit/

Public events: NASA participates in various air shows, 

conferences, and events each year. Stay tuned to 

social media to learn more: 

https://twitter.com/nasaaero
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AAM

Advanced Air Mobility

NASA is delivering data to guide 

the industry's development of 

electric air taxis and drones

NASA is assisting the Federal 

Aviation Administration in safely 

integrating these vehicles into the 

national airspace. 

This air transportation system of the future will 

include low-altitude passenger transport, 

cargo delivery, and public service capabilities. 

NASA will set the stage for a 

flourishing industry by 2030