COLUMBUS – Ohio, which prides itself on being the “birthplace of aviation,” is taking flight to the next level with the nation’s first advanced air mobility framework.
Developed by the Ohio Department of Transportation, with assistance from DriveOhio, the state’s smart mobility hub, the plan will support the growth of “next-gen” technologies, such as remotely-piloted and autonomous aircraft, to move products from factories, distribution centers and retailers to consumers in hard-to-reach locations not usually served by surface transportation or aviation.
Advanced air mobility, as envisioned by the blueprint, will also have emergency and medical applications. The technology can be used in evacuations, patient transportation, organ delivery, and search-and-rescue operations.
Common technologies described by the blueprint include electric propulsion, short and vertical takeoff and landing techniques, the use of advanced materials and the ability to remotely or autonomously pilot aircraft.
The advanced air mobility framework includes the state’s existing advanced aviation ecosystem, route-planning, recommendations for establishing “vertiports,” and provides a strategic map for the state to support the emerging industry.