Delivering a sustainable future for advanced air mobility

The footprint of Honeywell's AAM business spans North America, Western Europe and India. This global presence has not only enabled Honeywell to meet customer needs more efficiently but has also opened doors to a rich diversity of talent and perspectives, further enriching its approach to the market. Honeywell is also prioritizing the long-term growth of the AAM industry

What is UAM/AAM? It stands for Urban or Advanced Air Mobility. This transportation sector is projected to grow from $5 billion in 2023 to over $23 billion globally by 2028, according to industry reports. Several factors are expected to drive this growth, including a rise in demand for short-range routes, advances in batteries and electric propulsion systems and the sustained efforts to reduce aviation’s carbon footprint and operational costs.

Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) is poised to revolutionise aviation, and thereby usher in a highly automated and collaborative environment. This transformation will be powered by cutting-edge technologies such as automated traffic management, digital ecosystems, sustainable solutions, new aircraft designs, advanced communications and evolving infrastructure. AAM services will encompass passenger transport, cargo delivery and a multitude of aerial services, benefitting communities in urban, regional, and international contexts.

AAM holds the potential to enhance intermodal transportation, promote sustainability, and elevate the quality of life, safety, and security for citizens. The ‘Pathway to Advanced Air Mobility’ provides a clear roadmap for harnessing this potential, breaking down the journey into incremental steps. The first step focuses on foundational elements, including the development of enabling technologies and the validation of their use in various scenarios. As we progress, AAM serves as a testing ground for the integration of autonomy and artificial intelligence into the air traffic management system, aiming for a unified system that optimises efficiency, safety and sustainability.

Honeywell has announced that its AAM business unit has secured contracts worth over $10 billion. In the three years since its formation, the unit has developed vital partnerships with industry leaders such as Archer Aviation, Lilium, Pipistrel, Supernal and Vertical Aerospace.

They are committed to transforming travel and delivery services. Imagine a world where a 100-mile journey takes 45 minutes or less, and same-day package delivery is possible in every populated region of the world. With the help of our partners, we're making that vision a reality, points out its spokesperson.

Honeywell's comprehensive product portfolio of ready-now solutions has been the cornerstone of its successful entry in the AAM market. The offerings, across all sectors of aerospace, act as the brains, muscles and senses of the aircraft. Honeywell Anthem, a next-generation avionics system, serves as the ‘brain’ behind intuitive cockpit operations. Honeywell's fly-by-wire solutions and custom-built actuation systems function as ‘muscles’, providing precise flight controls and the necessary redundancy for these advanced vehicles. The diverse range of sensors like RDR-84K radar and AH2000 attitude heading reference system adds the ‘senses’, making these aircraft not just smart but also aware of their environment.

"Honeywell's nose-to-tail technology is a game-changer, setting the standard for safety and sustainability while providing an unprecedented user experience for our pilots," said Yves Yemsi, chief operating officer of Lilium.

The footprint of Honeywell's AAM business spans North America, Western Europe and India. This global presence has not only enabled Honeywell to meet customer needs more efficiently but has also opened doors to a rich diversity of talent and perspectives, further enriching its approach to the market.

Honeywell is also prioritizing the long-term growth of the AAM industry. Through initiatives like hosting industry summits in Washington, D.C., the company brings together regulators, original equipment manufacturers and members of Congress to catalyze meaningful dialogue and action.

The $10b in wins represents Honeywell's assessment of the lifetime value of awards using an internal forecast of the number of AAM vehicles the company expects to be built.

At Airspace World 2024, the Pathway to Advanced Air Mobility will showcase a diverse range of presentations and panel discussions, which are poised to be pivotal in steering the overarching discourse on AAM during the event. Notably, it will include three high-level panels that are expertly organised by UIC2 and CANSO, each dedicated to key facets of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM):

The era of AAM-Advancing intermodal and electrified transport: This panel explores perspectives of sustainable mobility with AAM, emphasising electrified transport, the potential of electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) technologies, intermodal connectivity and infrastructure.

AAM vision panel-Scaling up operations: This panel delves into scaling up AAM operations, addressing demand, airspace and infrastructure readiness, and specific use cases.

Next-level governance of AAM-Co-creating the future: The third panel focuses on co-creating agile and resilient governance schemes, highlighting top-down and bottom-up approaches, and the necessary skills and capacity-building for public authorities.

The future of our skies showcases the journey towards Advanced Air Mobility.