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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 to establish a University Transportation Center of Excellence for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).
This center unites three universities—N.C. A&T State, N.C. State, and Elizabeth City State University—to research how next-generation aircraft can transform regional air mobility and aerial emergency response.
Key research areas include integrating AAM/UAS with ground transportation, improving emergency response in rural areas, assessing economic and workforce impacts, and developing public engagement strategies and training programs for future operators.

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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.