Advanced Air Mobility Drones Modern Flying News

North Carolina Universities Get $2M to Study Drones, Electric Air Taxis

State’s department of transportation creates a coalition of research universities to study a fast-approaching new generation of aircraft.

Monday, December 09, 2024 at 04:31 PM ET

Verified

Israeli drone delivery operator Flytrex has completed more than 100,000 deliveries of sandwiches, chicken wings, ice cream, and more across North Carolina and Texas. [Courtesy: Flytrex]

Key Takeaways:

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) has launched a $2 million University Transportation Center of Excellence for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).
This initiative unites three state universities (N.C. A&T State, N.C. State, and Elizabeth City State) to research the integration of next-generation aircraft into regional air mobility and aerial emergency response systems.
Key objectives include developing simulation platforms for electric VTOL aircraft, assessing economic and job impacts, improving rural emergency response, guiding policy, and building a skilled workforce for the future of air mobility.

See a mistake? Contact us.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) is uniting some of the state’s top research schools under a $2 million initiative to transform its regional air mobility and aerial emergency response systems.

NCDOT on Monday formed the University Transportation Center of Excellence for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)—a coalition of three universities that will spend the next two years researching how next-generation aircraft, including UAS such as drones and vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) models, could solve the industries’ biggest challenges.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.