Imagine being able to order an air taxi on your phone, just like an Uber, and picking it up at a “vertiport” – an air taxi hub not far from your home. 

It may sound like something from “The Jetsons,” but Utah is seriously aiming to make this a reality by the 2034 Winter Olympics. 

“​​Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) will be an alternative mode of transportation for Utah residents,” said Paul Damron, UDOT’s Advanced Air Mobility manager. “I see that some residents could adopt this mode as its primary option. While I see others use it as a complement to all the other modes Utah and UDOT offers.”

Damron said UDOT is working with its internal legislative liaison group to help Utah legislators understand the work they’ve been doing, and pave the way for additional regulatory items. He said AAM (advanced air mobility) is a new area of aviation, and with all new things, regulatory frameworks need to be established. 

“We have facilitated several studies that help us understand the next steps,” Damron said. “Community engagement and education, and public acceptance is one of our next crucial steps.” 

When asked about piloting these air taxis, Damron said there will be a number of early adopter companies that will be operating the aircraft. He said Utah is in the process of understanding who the initial operators are and what type of operations could benefit from using these aircrafts. 

As Utah navigates the early steps in air mobility, these aircrafts will likely operate from Salt Lake City Airport before new infrastructure is built. 

Last month, the FAA approved a new “powered lift” category to set standards for air taxi pilots, which is a significant milestone. 

“UDOT’s job is to move people around the state safely and efficiently,” Damron said. “We will continue to build safe and viable modes of transportation, including air. Regional Air Mobility (RAM) is also a subject we talk about. Imagine using environmentally friendly, clean energy aircraft to move you from one end of the state to the other, or to neighboring states efficiently.” 

Damron said the pricing structure will be set by operators. 

“As this mode of transportation becomes more used and adopted, they are telling us that prices will come down,” Damron said. “OEMs and operators know that prices need to be cheap enough for all residents to travel this way. Their goal is to have prices be the same prices as an Uber Black price.” 

Damron said we are just at the beginning stages of understanding AAM in Utah, and they are excited to see what we can do with it and where it goes.