Inaugural forum for urban air market enters second day with NASA keynote, panels and workshops tackling challenges from cyber security to public relations

The second day of the Global Urban Air Summit will see another day of insight, analysis and thought leadership on the development of the urban air market.

Sessions include a keynote from NASA on UAM Challenges and the NASA Strategy and plenary sessions on Innovation: Vehicles and Battery Systems and Finance and Investment. There will also be Challenge Workshops on topics ranging from cyber security to media and public perception.

Following the first first day’s sessions which included speakers from the UK CAA, US Federal Department of Aviation, Uber and Boeing NeXt, Gareth Rogers, CEO of Farnborough International, said: “We’ve created a forum for an important conversation that will shape the development of the UAM industry. Listening to what has been discussed today, there’s no question this summit has served as meaningful and timely. We intend to continue leading this conversation through events, our biennial international airshow, and FINN – our online news channel.”

GUAS: shared stage for regulators and innovators

“This is the first time that regulators have shared a stage with industry innovators and as a result, important questions have been raised. There has also been common themes identified, such as the need for public acceptance and the importance of creating integrated air space if this industry is to thrive.”

“Farnborough has consistently served as a backdrop to the development of aerospace ingenuity, there is no more appropriate location for this summit than here, at the home of pioneering spirit.”

Air traffic management is key

Today’s agenda will include a second panel on air traffic management with representatives from the CAA and NATS. The FAA highlighted that societal acceptance would only take place once vehicles were in operation, however noise impact would need to be mitigated. Jon Round, the CAA’s Head of Aerospace, made the point that “major airline traffic is growing. The general aviation sports and leisure community is fearful of the UAM market, and society is concerned about noise impact. The CAA has to marry all three but noise is a major issue.”

The approach to air traffic management has been another major theme for the panel, along with the need for a complete picture of airborne traffic, with recognition by all panellists that air space itself is a limited entity.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter 

Register for the Global Urban Air Summit