Urban Air Mobility. Rules of Navigation and Infrastucture

Urban air mobility represents the new frontier of mobility and includes operations carried out with aircrafts having vertical take-off and landing (VCA) capabilities that are employed in congested urban areas, using air and ground infrastructures integrated into a multimodal system. The chapter will focus on the notion of Urban Air Mobility, in relation to the concepts of Advanced Air Mobility and Innovative Air Mobility. We will then proceed with an analysis of the legislation relating to the specific operational provisions relative to the vehicles, dedicated infrastructure and flight modes. Air mobility requires ground and air infrastructures to allow VCAs to operate safely in urban centers. International, European and national authorities are preparing the regulatory framework within which operators can invest. Italy, through the Civil Aviation Regulatory Authority (ENAC), is investing in the use of this mobility system and on 12 June 2024 adopted a regulation on “National requirements for aircraft with vertical take-off and landing (VCA) capability and related trajectories and infrastructure”