Previous Chapter: Town Hall Discussion
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Suggested Citation: "Closing Remarks and Key Takeaways." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2024. On-Demand Aviation Services for Mobility, Logistics, Emergency Response, and Humanitarian Use Cases. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/27794.

Closing Remarks and Key Takeaways

The Insight Event concluded with a recap of the two days’ discussions. The following key insights emerged during the event:

  • Safety and Security: The event underscored the critical importance of safety and security within the context of AAM, given the varied and complex AAM use cases over urban areas at low altitudes. The discussions emphasized the importance of standards in airworthiness, operational procedures, electric propulsion, and pilot qualifications. The interactions among humans, machines, and sophisticated software—along with the need for maintenance training, physical security, and cybersecurity—were also highlighted.
  • Technology and Regulation: A prominent topic of discussion was the rapid pace of technological innovation as compared with the development of regulatory frameworks. To prevent disruptions such as those associated with TNCs, shared micromobility (e.g., bike sharing and scooter sharing), and automated vehicles, the regulatory environment needs to evolve in tandem with new aviation technologies and operations models that blur the lines between on-demand and scheduled service.
  • Interagency Collaboration: The importance of breaking down bureaucratic silos and fostering information exchange among various public agencies and at all levels of government was a recurrent theme. Speakers emphasized the need for collaborative efforts to ensure the efficient implementation of AAM.
  • Community Acceptance: Recognizing and addressing community concerns is necessary for the successful adoption of AAM. Potential community concerns include noise and visual pollution; privacy; equity; security; and apprehension toward electric, remotely piloted, and autonomous flight.
  • Infrastructure Investments: Scaling AAM will require substantial investments in physical, energy, and digital infrastructure, and gaps could constrain the growth and scaling of AAM. Key points in bridging these gaps included securing funding and institutional support to develop takeoff and landing facilities, electric and hydrogen infrastructure, and information technology systems. Additionally, speakers emphasized the importance of coordinating these infrastructure investments with surface transportation modes to ensure multimodal planning and integration.
  • Research and Data-Driven Policymaking: The event highlighted the need for ongoing, multidisciplinary research that can help identify emerging lessons and inform data-driven policymaking on AAM.
  • Supporting Public Good Use Cases: Research and policies that prioritize humanitarian, aeromedical, and emergency response use cases will help
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Suggested Citation: "Closing Remarks and Key Takeaways." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2024. On-Demand Aviation Services for Mobility, Logistics, Emergency Response, and Humanitarian Use Cases. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/27794.

    demonstrate the broader societal benefits of AAM. This strategic focus can help build public acceptance for innovative aviation technologies.

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Suggested Citation: "Closing Remarks and Key Takeaways." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2024. On-Demand Aviation Services for Mobility, Logistics, Emergency Response, and Humanitarian Use Cases. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/27794.
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Suggested Citation: "Closing Remarks and Key Takeaways." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2024. On-Demand Aviation Services for Mobility, Logistics, Emergency Response, and Humanitarian Use Cases. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/27794.
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Next Chapter: Appendix A: Insight Event Registrants
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