The North Carolina Department of Transportation recently named the first recipients of a total of $1 million in funding via its Division of Aviation’s new Advanced Air Mobility or AAM planning grant program.
[Above photo by NCDOT]
Five municipalities and regional planning organizations received grants from that $1 million pool of funding to develop or enhance community-focused plans that incorporate AAM technologies through a partnership with NCDOT Aviation: the City of Greensboro; the Town of Cary; the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization or CAMPO; the Mid-Carolina Council of Governments; and Forsyth County.
NCDOT said that funding will support a wide range of planning activities, including transportation needs assessments, land-use and infrastructure planning, multimodal integration strategies, feasibility studies, and policy and regulatory alignment.
Those planning efforts will help communities prepare for new technologies like electric vertical takeoff and landing or eVTOL aircraft and drone-based delivery systems, NCDOT added; setting the stage for their safe and efficient integration into existing transportation networks.
“These planning projects are about helping communities take the first steps toward understanding how advanced air mobility can meet local needs,” noted Nick Short, director of the NCDOT Division of Aviation, in a statement. “We’re excited to be part of the groundwork that will help communities plan and prepare for the opportunities this technology brings.”
A key part of this program is public engagement to ensure residents have a voice in shaping how AAM services could benefit their communities, added Short.
“Advanced air mobility isn’t just about new technology – it’s about creating new opportunities for communities,” he said.
States
Governor Names New Head of Louisiana DOTD
June 20, 2025
States
