The National League of Cities (NLC) has launched a national Aviation Advisory Forum on Air Mobility and Drone Integration. Mayor Buddy Dyer of Orlando, Florida, and Mayor Lily Wu of Wichita, Kansas will serve as co-chairs.

The Aviation Advisory Forum will bring together local government leaders to provide timely and strategic advice to the federal government and aviation industry on efforts to integrate advanced air mobility (AAM) like air taxis and drones into U.S. airspace and communities across the country. Local governments of all sizes are continuing to engage in the adoption of air transportation in all forms from Florida to Alaska.

AAM includes both the 782,000 uncrewed aerial systems (UAS or drones) currently registered to operate in U.S. airspace today and several electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL or air taxis) that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is working to certify before 2028.

“Innovations in transportation have always come with profound implications for cities, and AAM will be no exception,” said Mayor Buddy Dyer of Orlando, Florida. “Cities like Orlando intend to lead in this new technology and to do so we’ll need to partner closely with the Federal Aviation Administration, state agencies and the industry. The Aviation Forum will serve as local governments’ voice in building these relationships and making sure that the new technology is both responsive to the needs of our communities and successful in creating new transportation opportunities.”

“As the Air Capital of the World, Wichita has a long history in aviation and innovation. We see advanced air mobility and drone technologies as great opportunities to develop more effective connections and conveniences,” shared Mayor Lily Wu of Wichita, Kansas. “With globally known organizations such as Textron eAviation, the National Institute for Aviation Research and the National Center for Aviation Training in Wichita, I am thrilled to help lead this Forum so every city in America can see the potential of integrating aviation technology into their community.”  

“Innovation continues to create a unique opportunity to reshape America’s competitive infrastructure advantage, from small towns to mid-sized cities to our major metro areas,” said Clarence E. Anthony, CEO and Executive Director of the National League of Cities. “I’m excited about the creation of the Aviation Forum and the potential to build a brighter and more mobile future. With Mayor Dyer and Mayor Wu’s leadership our communities will be prepared to integrate drones and electric taxis alongside our nation’s local leaders and experts.”

Many communities are benefiting from having city staff and emergency responders serve as local drone operators for a variety of essential government tasks and are embracing AAM as another transportation mode for the future. As more AAM operations take-off and land in communities, gathering insights on operations will be a key role for the Aviation Advisory Forum as well as sharing best practices as AAM becomes more visible to communities nationally.

The NLC Advisory Forum will host their first forum on November 13, 2024, in Tampa, Florida, at the NLC City Summit conference bringing together thousands of city, town and village leaders.

Source: National League of Cities