Advanced Air Mobility: Laying the Groundwork for the Future

A transportation future that integrates advanced air mobility’s benefits into the daily rhythm of our lives is becoming clear on the horizon. Ahead of this year’s ITS World Congress in Atlanta, Paul Wheeler, vice president of aerial innovation at WSP in the U.S., explores AAM, its impact on infrastructure and how stakeholders are preparing for takeoff.

How do you define AAM?

Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) represents an important evolution in aviation, bringing together emerging technologies such as electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL), short or vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (S/V-TOL), and other electric and hybrid aircraft. Rather than focusing solely on traditional airport-to-airport travel, AAM creates opportunities for general aviation to evolve and expand into new areas. These aircraft can operate from smaller sites closer to where people live and work, enabling faster and more flexible transportation of people, goods and critical services directly to communities. AAM can improve access to medical care and make rapid delivery of packages or emergency equipment, such as defibrillators and medical supplies, possible even in remote or hard-to-reach locations. Ultimately, AAM aims to save time, support life-saving missions, and provide more efficient, connected options for everyday life.

What are your thoughts on any current knowledge and operations gaps in AAM integration?

Sadly, there are still many silos in transportation. Roads, rail, and aviation often operate independently. To successfully integrate AAM, we need to bridge those silos and bring all modes together to create more efficient, connected transportation hubs. Cities also face challenges like where to place vertiports, which are platforms for AAM vehicle operations. They will be at airports initially, but they can also make use of existing helicopter landing areas in the first phase before widespread construction of new, purpose-built vertiports. To truly serve communities, AAM will need to expand to locations closer to where people live, work, and gather, such as downtown areas or parking lots near stores. Given concerns among both passengers and local residents about new technologies, it is essential to approach this expansion thoughtfully, ensuring it delivers clear benefits and avoids repeating past shortcomings in transportation planning.

Can you think of any solutions to bridge those gaps in the near term, or long term?

To bridge the gaps, we need to get all the key players in aviation, highways, rail and local governments into the same room. We’re starting to see some of that collaboration at the federal level, but it really needs to additionally happen more locally. A good example is in Ohio, where regional governments from Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana are working together to prepare existing general aviation airports for AAM and EV infrastructure. By coordinating early, they can share costs and avoid duplicating efforts implementing both technologies in their communities.

First, communities need to assess what resources they already have and identify the gaps, whether that’s infrastructure, staffing or planning. Then they can figure out what’s needed to move forward. It’s also important to start planning now, because this technology is coming. If cities choose to prohibit AAM, they risk becoming flyover communities and missing out on the benefits while still dealing with the impacts.

Are you working on any projects right now that might offer real-world examples and stakeholder perspectives on AAM’s role in multimodal systems?

Yes, several! In Ohio, we’re helping six general aviation airports prepare for AAM and electric vehicle infrastructure through a strategic roadmap. We’ve completed studies in Utah and created guidebooks to help integrate AAM into airports. Through peer exchanges with all 50 states and territories, we’re helping agencies mature their drone programs, which is an important steppingstone to broader AAM adoption. We are already using drones in practical ways, including inspecting bridges, mapping accident scenes, and collecting water samples — all of which make infrastructure inspection operations, public safety missions, and even responses affecting the traveling public safer and more efficient. In emergency services, we have supported hurricane response efforts, detected bridge deck delamination, and conducted confined space and oxygen monitoring in tunnels. We also see opportunities for future applications such as rapid delivery of medical supplies, defibrillators, and other critical goods. Together, these efforts demonstrate how AAM technologies can enhance safety, reduce risk, and strengthen critical infrastructure and public health.

What does all this have to do with your session at the ITS World Congress on future proofing airports?

My session is focused on educating people about what’s coming and how best to plan for it. It’s about breaking down silos and encouraging collaboration across sectors. The more we talk and work together on these technologies, the better prepared we will be and the more likely we are to avoid mistakes. Airports of the future may evolve into community hubs, and we need to think about how to integrate AAM, emerging technologies, and other innovations to serve people better, especially in rural areas. The more we engage in these conversations, the more people will understand that the future is coming; and the more voices we bring to the table, the better the outcome will be.

Paul Wheeler will discuss “Future-Proofing Airports: Advancing Equity and Multimodal Integration with UAS, AAM and Emerging Technologies” at the ITS World Congress Sunday, August 24, at 4:00 p.m. EDT.