A new generation of electric air taxis, part of the advanced air mobility (AAM) sector, is being developed to supplement existing urban transportation systems. Researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology are involved in addressing the technological, regulatory, and infrastructure challenges that remain before these vehicles can be widely adopted.
Laurie Garrow, a professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and co-director of Georgia Tech’s Center for Urban and Regional Air Mobility, explained the recent progress: “The same battery and automation technologies we’re using in electric ground vehicles are now being scaled for aircraft. We’re also seeing improvements in distributed propulsion and composite materials that make these aircraft lighter, quieter, and more efficient.”
However, Garrow emphasized that widespread use is still several years away. “We may see high-profile demonstrations soon, maybe even at global events like the Olympics, but aviation certification is a rigorous process. It takes time to earn public trust.”
Safety, regulation, and public acceptance are key issues for the future of AAM. Garrow noted the need for defined flight corridors: “We’ll need to define what I call ‘roads in the sky’ — safe corridors where these aircraft can operate alongside traditional air traffic. And we’ll need to ensure certification standards, air traffic control, and pilot training evolve alongside technology.”
Marilyn Smith, David Sloan Lews Professor in the School of Aerospace Engineering and director of the Vertical Lift Research Center of Excellence, is leading efforts in modeling and simulation for these aircraft. Her team is working on real-time simulations that account for atmospheric conditions such as turbulence and wind shear. “These predictions are not trivial,” Smith said. “We need fast, physics-based models that can run in near-real time to inform both design and regulation. There are significant and abrupt variations in the atmosphere that must be accounted for, both for passenger vehicles and smaller delivery drones.”
Smith’s research group is also using artificial intelligence to improve the speed and accuracy of certification processes, but always with expert oversight. “AI can accelerate our work,” she said. “Without the knowledge of domain experts, machine learning can generate misleading results, and that’s unacceptable when safety is on the line.”
Beyond aircraft design, new infrastructure such as vertiports will be necessary for vertical takeoff and landing operations. Charging systems and fire safety protocols for high-energy batteries will also be required. Garrow pointed out the importance of managing air traffic around airports: “And perhaps most critically, we need ‘rules of the road in the sky’ to manage air traffic around existing airports.”
Atlanta’s geography could facilitate AAM integration due to the orientation of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport’s runways compared to population centers. “The runways at Hartsfield-Jackson run east to west, while most of the metro population centers are north and south,” Garrow noted. “That natural separation could make it easier to integrate vertical takeoff and landing operations.”
Alex Oettl, professor in the Scheller College of Business, highlighted the risk that AAM could benefit only major cities unless inclusive strategies are developed. “Improved connectivity will raise productivity in ‘superstar cities,’ but we’ll need new strategies if we want to ensure smaller communities aren’t left behind,” he said.
Oettl also compared regulatory environments, noting China’s rapid progress in AAM due to government support and flexible regulations. “In contrast, the U.S. and Europe face more stringent certification requirements,” Oettl said. “That slows deployment but ideally ensures stronger safety standards. It’s a tradeoff between innovation speed and risk management.”
He cautioned about potential risks for early adopters: “There’s a danger of technological lock-in or stranded assets if early systems don’t scale or demand falls short. We’ve seen parallels before, like the scooter boom that left cities with thousands of idle vehicles.”
Looking ahead, the pace of AAM adoption will depend on cooperation among government, industry, and academic institutions. “Georgia has been proactive in attracting aviation manufacturing,” Garrow said. “Coupled with our state’s infrastructure and Georgia Tech’s research ecosystem, we’re well positioned to lead.”
She added, “In aviation, we like to say we crawl, we walk, we run. These technologies are coming, but safely integrating them into our skies will take time, teamwork, and trust.”
