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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

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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 initiative, forming a University Transportation Center of Excellence for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).
This center unites three North Carolina universities (N.C. A&T State, N.C. State, Elizabeth City State University) to research next-generation aircraft like drones and VTOL models over the next two years.
Research areas include integrating AAM with ground transportation, improving rural emergency response, analyzing economic and job creation opportunities, and developing training programs for future UAS operators and first responders.
The initiative aims to position North Carolina as a leader in the evolving AAM field, preparing its workforce and infrastructure to benefit from new drone and VTOL technologies.

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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.