DOT UNVEILS FIRST-EVER NATIONAL ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY STRATEGY
January 21, 2026
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On December 17, 2025, DOT launched the Advanced Air Mobility National Strategy to safely implement AAM operations throughout the United States. When announcing the innovative Strategy, Transportation Secretary Duffy identified forty (40) recommendations to facilitate and accelerate the adoption of AAM technologies in the coming years. Those 40 recommendations were developed by the Advanced Air Mobility Interagency Working Group following the passage of the Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act in 2022. During the last few years, the Department and AAM stakeholders have worked closely to support the safe, secure, and coordinated introduction of AAM capabilities with a specific focus on four distinct strategic action phases, referred to as LIFT.
- Leverage Existing Programs to Support Innovation and Begin Operations
- Initiate Engagement with Partners, Research and Development, and Smart Planning
- Forge New Policy and Models Responsive to Public Needs
- Transform the Aviation Ecosystem
To avoid unnecessary delays and duplicative efforts among federal agencies, Transportation Secretary Duffy hopes the Strategy will foster robust public-private execution of the 40 recommendations and suggested next steps. In addition to federal agencies, the Department noted that coordination with state, local, tribal, and territorial governments will be essential as eVTOLs, and other highly automated aircraft become commonplace at and around U.S. airports. While industry participants are focused on upgrading airport infrastructure and modifying regulatory frameworks to accommodate eVTOLs, the Strategy makes clear that both U.S. and foreign air carriers will need to provide comprehensive input on how best the Department can incorporate AAM operations into U.S. airspace without disrupting existing commercial service.
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