- Advanced Air Mobility

Catalog description

This course provides an in-depth exploration of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), an emerging aviation ecosystem that integrates innovative aircraft, automated flight systems, and next-generation airspace management to enable safe, efficient, and sustainable air transportation. Students will examine the technological, regulatory, economic, and operational foundations driving AAM, including electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) integration, autonomy, airspace modernization, and infrastructure planning. Through case studies, system-level analysis, and scenario-based learning, the course investigates key challenges such as airworthiness certification, detect-and-avoid (DAA) architectures, vertiport design, cybersecurity, environmental impacts, community acceptance, and integration with traditional National Airspace System (NAS) operations. Emphasis is placed on understanding FAA and international regulatory frameworks, emerging industry standards, and the evolving roles of stakeholders in government, industry, and academia. Students will engage in project-based work to design conceptual AAM operational models, evaluate enabling technologies, and assess scalability for urban, suburban, and rural applications. By the end of the course, students will be prepared to critically analyze the feasibility and implications of AAM systems and contribute to the advancement of this rapidly developing aviation sector.