Standing on the shoulders of aviation giants Wright, Glenn, Armstrong and Mock, Ohio continues to lead the US in the advancement of aerospace technology and infrastructure with the release of the nation's first advanced air mobility (AAM) framework, developed by its Department of Transportation, through DriveOhio, the state's smart mobility hub. This framework will support and position Ohio for anticipated advanced aviation growth throughout the state.

“Ohio is a leader in the aviation industry; talented Ohioans brought flight to the world and sent mankind forward in space. My administration is focused on the 21st century economy, and advanced air mobility is an important industry for Ohio's growth,” says Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.

Advanced air mobility uses next-gen technologies to move people and cargo between places not usually served by surface transportation or existing aviation. Common technologies include electric propulsion, short and vertical take off/landing techniques, using advanced materials and the ability to remotely or autonomously pilot aircraft. Ohio intends to employ advanced air mobility for the safe, efficient and equitable transportation of people and goods throughout the state.

Advanced air mobility increases modality options, improving transportation resiliency and efficiency. It can also increase safety as newer aircraft are designed with redundancy in mind. Ohio's advanced air mobility framework captures the existing advanced aviation ecosystem, Ohio specific activities, route planning considerations, recommendations for establishing vertiports and provides a strategic map for Ohio to support this emerging industry.

“Across industries, Ohio is thriving in highly competitive global markets, notably in cutting-edge aerospace technologies,” says Lt Governor Jon Husted, director of InnovateOhio. “Not only does advanced air mobility have huge potential to improve the quality of life for Ohioans but supporting its growth can position us as a leader in an incredibly dynamic and innovative sector of the economy, helping us compete and win on the world stage.”

Three use cases that have the potential to drive transportation efficiency and support a robust new aerospace industry in the State of Ohio are:

- Cargo and freight delivery: transportation of heavy cargo, freight, small packages and on demand commerce from or between airports, distribution centres, manufacturers and retailers to consumers. Industries such as logistics transportation and e-commerce can realise significant efficiencies by leveraging advanced aircraft.

- Regional air mobility: regularly scheduled or on demand transportation between cities, more than 50-75 miles apart. Numerous studies found that going by air using advanced aviation for short intra-regional trips (from one city centre to another nearby city centre or from city centre to rural area) can save time.

- Emergency services: advanced air mobility vehicles can facilitate an innovative medical services transportation system, including emergency medical evacuations, hospital-to-hospital patient and equipment transportation, organ delivery and search and rescue operations.

The Ohio advanced air mobility framework is the latest success in a series of major policy and project wins the DriveOhio team has produced and is timed to support the National Advanced Air Mobility Forum being held this month in Springfield, Ohio. This two day event will feature presentations and panel discussions from government, defence and industry leaders, networking opportunities, vendor booths and flight demonstrations.