Elevating the Future: A look into Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and the opportunities for women with Elan Head

<p>In 2018, I was invited to be a speaker at a conference in the Midwest. Before I got on the stage to present my keynote, the session before me was talking about a new concept that I remember briefly hearing about as a student at Embry-Riddle, Advance Air Mobility (AAM). The speaker mentioned how AAM is the future of aviation, and that it will revolutionize air travel as we know it.</p><p> </p><p>AAM is known as the development, integration, and utilization of new airborne transportation systems, typically involving electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, drones, and other innovative aerial vehicles. These systems are designed to operate in urban, suburban, and rural environments. Since that conference in 2018, so many developments have transpired in this sector.</p><p> </p><p>Key Features of the AAM sectors include;</p><p> </p><ul><li>eVTOLs: These are aircraft that can take off and land vertically like a helicopter but transition to forward flight like a plane, predominantly powered by electric propulsion.</li><li>Urban Air Mobility (UAM): A subset of AAM focusing on urban environments. UAM seeks to alleviate ground traffic congestion by taking advantage of the airspace above cities.</li><li>Decentralized Infrastructure: Instead of large central airports, AAM emphasizes smaller vertiports or landing pads scattered throughout urban and suburban areas.</li><li>Autonomous Operations: While initial operations may have human pilots, the goal for many AAM solutions is to eventually operate autonomously, which will require advanced autonomous flight systems and robust air traffic management solutions.</li></ul><p> </p><p>The AAM sector on a global scale was valued at $8.2 billion in 2022. It is expected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 20% by 2032 with a valuation to reach about $68.1 billion. Furthermore, investments in AAM have reached $4.8 billion in 2021, with new innovative companies launching each year in pursuit of the next successful eVTOL to hit the market. Specifically, the