By: Phil Kenul (RADM NOAA, Ret.) – AG Ambassador, Standards
No longer just a vision on a designer’s drafting board, tomorrow’s airspace is already taking shape due to the convergence of advanced air mobility (AAM) technologies, evolving regulations and the adoption of industry consensus standards. At the Aerial Cities conference in Dublin late last year, experts agreed that the transition from bold experiments and flashy prototypes to practical, scalable solutions depends not only on technological innovation and regulatory agility, but also on the widespread adoption of standards that ensure safety, interoperability and public trust.
From Hype to Maturity: The State of Urban Air Mobility
While the technology to fly exists, the regulatory systems required to scale operations continue being developed. Regulators and industry worldwide now work together to solve complex logistical and regulatory issues. The practical implementation of frameworks like European U-space and the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) approach to unmanned traffic management (UTM) in the United States requires ongoing collaboration between industry and government. However, the path forward relies on more than mere regulatory approvals. It requires a mature ecosystem where standards guide every aspect of development and deployment.
Regulations and the Need for Standards
The need for agile, forward-looking regulation stood out as a conference theme. The Irish Aviation Authority’s CEO highlighted that regulations alone do not guarantee progress. The main obstacle remains the safe scaling of Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations, which are currently limited by the lack of mature detect-and-avoid (DAA) technologies and interoperable protocols which may differ from legacy traffic management schemes. In this particular area, consensus standards play a critical role. Industry standards help bridge the gap between innovative technology and regulatory requirements. They define minimum performance benchmarks for safety and reliability.
Various governing bodies are developing standards for Remote ID, DAA systems and UTM to ensure that drones and other aerial vehicles can operate safely in shared airspace. For example, both ASTM International and RTCA have developed standards for Remote ID (ASTM F3411) and DAA systems (RTCA DO-365/DO-366, ASTM F3442). These standards should support both the FAA and EASA in their regulatory frameworks. Ultimately, they will enable regulators to approve new operations more efficiently, reduce the need for case-by-case waivers and accelerate market access.
Regulatory Approaches: United States vs. Europe
In the United States, the FAA has been advancing low-altitude aerial operations through initiatives like the Near-Term Approval Process (NTAP) and the more recently released Notice of Public Rulemaking (NPRM) for the proposed Part 108/Part 146 BVLOS regulation. These frameworks are designed to streamline approvals, reduce reliance on individual waivers and provide greater predictability for industry stakeholders. Consensus standards developed by organizations such as ASTM International, EUROCAE and RTCA help guide the implementation of these regulatory frameworks to ensure that new technologies meet safety and interoperability requirements.
Europe, meanwhile, has been rolling out U-space, a digital air traffic management system overseen by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). U-space is being implemented in phases. It appears that progress has been slower than in the US. Harmonizing regulations and certifying service providers across member states is just beginning. Industry standards to align technical requirements and facilitate cross-border operations will play an especially important role for global competitiveness and market growth.
Both regions face distinct challenges. The US must ensure its regulations keep pace with technological advances. Europe’s priority is the full deployment of digital management systems to unlock investment and scale operations. Collaboration between regulators, industry and standards bodies will be crucial to realize the full potential of advanced air mobility (AAM) on both sides of the Atlantic.
Urban Integration, City Planning
Regulations and standards provide the foundation, but ultimately, cities must adapt to aerial mobility. Urban air mobility (UAM), using the airspace above cities for transportation (think: drones, air taxis, and other aerial vehicles) will enable movement both horizontally and vertically. This shift will fundamentally change how people and goods move through urban environments.
Cities like Madrid, which recently published a White Paper on UAM, emphasized that local governments must be involved in aerial planning. Integrating drone services into city governance is essential for success. Consensus standards for infrastructure such as rooftop drone pads, vertiports and noise help guide city planners and architects in designing buildings and public spaces that are compatible with aerial mobility. Organizations like ASTM, ISO and SAE International are developing standards for UAM infrastructure, including vertiports, charging stations and communication protocols. The Dublin City Council echoed this, noting that designs will need to future proof how buildings are designed, zoned, and laid out to accommodate aerial mobility.
Societal Acceptance and Standards
We’ve all heard this for years, but public perception still truly remains a critical factor for the success of AAM. Industry leaders recognize that societal acceptance is based on building trust in use cases such as emergency medical services, delivery of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), blood samples and vaccines, search and rescue and public safety/first responders.
Consensus standards help ensure that these applications meet rigorous safety and privacy requirements, which is essential to gain public trust and regulatory approval. Standards for drone delivery (e.g., ASTM F3548 for UTM) ensure that life-saving applications meet strict performance and safety criteria. Privacy and data protection standards address concerns about surveillance and data security.
The industry has already demonstrated the clear societal benefits of these “Drones for Good” use cases to gain public trust. The next step will involve expanding applications, such as large-scale package delivery or urban air taxis.
The Global Supply Chain Challenge
The fragility of the global supply chain presents another significant challenge. Many manufacturers lack a unified strategy to source components. As regulations open the skies, demand could quickly outstrip supply. Industry standards for components and manufacturing processes help ensure compatibility and scalability, reduce bottlenecks and support a resilient, diversified supply chain for scalable production. For example, consensus standards for batteries, sensors and communication modules enable manufacturers to source parts globally.
Standards help compatibility as well as de-risk investment. Investors are drawn to companies that use industry consensus standards because these standards serve as a risk-mitigation framework. In the high-stakes world of AAM, technology is rarely the only hurdle. The “valley of death” for startups is often regulatory approval and commercial scaling, which standards can help mitigate.
Standards as the Foundation for Growth
This year, expect the focus in AAM and UAM to shift from hype to sustainable growth, with new operators prioritizing robust business models, redundant connectivity (combining satellite and cellular) and reliable operations. For cities and regulators, the next step involves moving from strategy to implementation in the form of building infrastructure like vertiports and UTM systems. Consensus standards will underpin all of this.
The promise of AAM and UAM seems closer than ever. But success will require unprecedented coordination among manufacturers, city planners, standards bodies and the communities they serve. Industry consensus standards are essential to harmonize regulations, promote safety, enable interoperability and support market growth in AAM and UAM. They provide the technical foundation needed for cities, regulators and companies to work together and realize the full potential of aerial transportation.