Innovative air mobility (IAM) is “the safe, secure and sustainable air mobility of passengers and cargo enabled by new-generation technologies integrated into a multimodal transportation system,” as defined by EASA. The presentation will highlight current challenges of early implementations and scaling of IAM services, and show how research helps to find solutions. The focus will be on the development of modular vertiport research infrastructure at the National Experimental Test Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems, operated by DLR (German Aerospace Center) at Magdeburg/Cochstedt Airport in Germany.

• Innovative air mobility is a complex system of systems
• Real-world experience and data are currently lacking regarding passenger and cargo transportation with uncrewed aircraft systems
• Permanent test sites for IAM systems and services are needed to mature IAM concepts