Passenger drones may be the next big thing in urban transportation, at least that’s what the Texas Senate thinks.
By a vote of 29-to-2 The Senate passed legislation that would promote something called Urban Air Mobility.
State Senator Beverly Powell’s Senate Bill 763 would create the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) Advisory Committee at the Texas Department of Transportation to assess the current state law and any potential changes that are needed to facilitate the development of UAM operations and infrastructure in this state.
“Urban Air Mobility is an initiative between industry, NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration to develop a transportation system in which smaller newly designed aircrafts can transport passengers and small cargo at lower altitudes within urban and suburban areas,” said Powell as she rolled out the legislation on the Senate floor.
This emerging industry will involve innovative vehicle designs and system technologies, new operational procedures, and embrace the sharing and services economy to enable a novel transportation service network.
The UAM industry will also involve partnering with federal, state, and local governments to effectively incorporate UAM solutions into current transportation networks.
The Dallas-Fort Worth area is expected to be an early test location for UAM in 2025, as well as a hub for commercial operations and investment. “Texas can establish itself as a leader for additional investment by the Urban Air Mobility industry, promoting economic development and jobs for Texans,” said Powell.