We are on the verge of big happenings in the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) world.\u00a0 Large amounts of money are flowing into the coffers of those companies which dared to pioneer in the area.\u00a0 Large firms are partnering with these aerial startups.\u00a0 And the Federal Aeronautics Administration is paying attention while actively pursuing certification for the new machines headed our way.<\/p>\n
At the Transportation Review Board\u2019s annual meeting in Orlando, Florida, Jay Merkle, head of the FAA\u2019s UAS integration office, told attendees that six (Urban Air Mobility) UAM \u00a0vehicles are \u201cwell along,\u201d according to a report in Aviation Today.\u00a0 \u00a0He held that the growing market is \u201c\u201cmore than just hype \u2026 this is more than just promotional videos.\u201d\u00a0 Merkle apparently feels current regulations such as FAR Part 23 are adequate to help these new electric Vertical Take Off and Landing (eVTOL) machines be certified.\u00a0 Merkle feels the machines in progress can provide service \u201cfor regional air trips\u2026 from 30 miles to 300 miles.\u201d<\/p>\n
Even more promising, Merkle added, \u201cWe are beginning to work on integrating them operationally, so the pilot requirements, the airline operating requirements, and then we\u2019re also beginning to work on the airspace integration as well.\u201d\u00a0 Learning from mistakes in attempts to meld smaller drones into the overall air traffic control program,<\/a> the FAA is forging ahead with its programs for larger craft.<\/p>\n He even spread the word at the Farnborough International Air Show in an interview with Alan Peaford, editor-in-chief of FINN (Farnborough International News Network).<\/p>\n