About
The UAPC is a cohort-based educational and networking opportunity for local decision makers
Urban Air Policy Collaborative™ (UAPC) Description
The Urban Air Policy Collaborative is an ongoing CAMI program which provides a structured forum for regional, state and local jurisdictions and airports to discuss advanced air mobility (AAM) issues, questions and strategies, and develop policies and best practices. It offers the benefits of a collective voice as communities work with industry and regulators to implement AAM. As part of the UAPC, CAMI offers 5-month long cohorts for small groups of jurisdictions to learn about advanced air mobility through workshops, guest speakers and discussions around AAM topics at the local level. After participating in a UAPC cohort, graduates are invited to join the ongoing UAPC forum.
For more information and to register, please contact Yolanka Wulff, Executive Director at yolanka@communityairmobility.org or +1.206.660.8498
2025 UAPC™ COHORT CURRICULUM
Module 1: AAM Fundamentals Part 1: introduction to AAM, Aircraft, and airspace
This two part introductory module session provides an overview of AAM fundamentals. Part 1 includes an introduction to advanced air mobility as well as an overview of ecosystem fundamentals such as aircraft and air traffic. Key topics include airworthiness, aircrew requirements, and airspace access. The purpose of this introductory module is to provide the UAPC cohort with baseline knowledge of AAM that will be used as part of broader policy discussions beginning in Module 3.
Module 2: AAM Fundamentals Part 2: AAM Operations, infrastructure, autonomy and the regulatory environment
This two part introductory module session provides an overview of AAM fundamentals. Part 2 focuses on the various types of AAM operations envisioned, an introduction to AAM infrastructure, a discussion of autonomy, and the existing regulatory environment. The purpose of this introductory module is to provide the UAPC cohort with fundamental knowledge of AAM operations that will be used as part of broader policy discussions beginning in Module 3.
Module 3: integrating aam into the transportation ecosystem: aam planning and policy framework, multimodal integration, and equity
This session explores the complex equity issues related to AAM, such as affordability; impacts of flights and vertiports on neighborhoods and vulnerable populations; and humanitarian use cases for AAM (e.g., emergency response, pandemic relief, and medical use cases). This session will also explore how the public and private sectors have confronted equity issues related to other innovative and emerging transportation technologies (e.g., shared mobility and automated vehicles) and discuss potential takeaways and lessons learned that may be applicable to the AAM context. Participants will brainstorm creative ideas and concepts that the public sector can do to encourage the equitable deployment of AAM.
Module 4: community and environmental impacts: noise, visual pollution, routes
This session explores potential challenges to the adoption and mainstreaming of AAM by focusing on issues related to noise and visual pollution, as well as privacy over sensitive land uses. Participants will engage in a lively discussion about how prevalent these issues (both aviation and non-aviation) are in their jurisdiction, mitigation strategies that have been implemented (e.g., ordinances, building codes, enforcement, etc.), and brainstorm strategies that local communities and state governments could employ to mitigate these potential concerns with AAM.
Module 5: market and economic forecasting; digital policy
The first half of this session explores the economic opportunities and challenges to the adoption and mainstreaming of AAM. The second half focuses on issues related to data, and how digital policy can be used to manage the effective integration of AAM into the local transportation system using land use policy and regulation. Participants will engage in a discussion about the types of data their agencies would like to have to inform decision making and transportation planning.
Module 6: Planning for AAM Part 1: utilities and energy; data and communications
This session will discuss the non-building infrastructure (information technology, telecommunications, electric grid, hydrogen, and other utilities) necessary for AAM. Key emphasis will be placed on the types of communications and utilities needed for vertiports and how public works can prepare. As part of this session, participants will discuss the relevant stakeholders and agencies needed in the build out of this infrastructure as well as how to address tradeoffs in areas such as grid capacity, bandwidth, privacy and limited public resources.
Module 7: Planning for AAM Part 2: aam at existing airports
This session considers the integration of AAM into existing airports, including vertiport placement, airspace considerations, environmental impacts, and community relationships. It will also look at the broader opportunities AAM might offer for smaller airports, including logistics, charging centers, mobility hubs, and microgrids.
module 8: Planning for AAM Part 3: vertiport locations, vertiport ownership considerations
This session will focus on planning and implementation issues related to vertiport infrastructure and economic development. Key topics will include considerations for land use; first- and last- mile connections to public transportation; mobility hubs; and opportunities for integration with shared mobility, automated vehicles, and active transportation. This session will also discuss issues related to economic development, including opportunities for vertiports to serve as a catalyst to revitalize neighborhoods and support job creation and development.
module 9: Planning for AAM Part 4: roles and responsibilities, emerging best practices, community engagement
This session focuses on roles and responsibilities at the various jurisdictional levels as well as emerging best practices. It concludes with a discussion of stakeholder and community engagement, including tools that local agencies and airports can use to do their own outreach.
Schedule & Pricing
UAPC Cohorts convene periodically throughout the year and typically meet weekly via video conference. There are nine two-hour group meetings, with a schedule determined after Cohort participants for a particular session are set. UAPC Cohort 2025 will meet from January 16 through March 20 on Thursdays from 12:00 to 2:00 pm EST. All sessions are recorded and available to the participants for later viewing. The cost for participation in the cohort is $1000 per jurisdiction which includes up to three participants per jurisdiction. Should your agency or airport wish to join the ongoing UAPC forum and other CAMI activities after the cohort is complete, it will need to join CAMI as a member organization. The cohort fee can be applied to the membership dues for the first year, and membership renewal includes three staff members attending a cohort each year.
Current and Past UAPC Participants
Uapc Cohort 2023
Port of Huntsville
City of Huntsville
WSDOT Aviation
MassDOT
Tampa International Airport
Oregon Department of Aviation
uapc cohort 2022
California State Transportation Agency
Port of Seattle
Tampa International Airport
California Department of Transportation
UAPC Cohort 2021B
Washington State Department of Transportation
Port of Seattle
King County Metro
Augusta Regional Airport
Utah Department of Transportation
Sebring Multimodal Logistics Center
UAPC Cohort 2021A
Canadian Advanced Air Mobility Consortium
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
City of Minneapolis Public Works Department
City of Orlando
City of San Jose
County of Monterey
Marina Municipal Airport
Michigan Department of Transportation Office of Aeronautics
Monterey Bay DART
Ohio Department of Transportation Ohio UAS Center
Orange County Government Florida
Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority
UAPC Cohort 2020
Canadian Advanced Air Mobility Consortium
City of Minneapolis Public Works
City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation
City of San Jose
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
Georgia Department of Transportation
Massachusetts Department of Transportation
Massachusetts Port Authority
North Carolina Department of Transportation
North Central Texas Council of Governments
Washington State Department of Transportation Aviation Division