HMUSA 2022 Conference: Optimizing Motion Control System Design Through Component Technology Analysis
Local, state and federal officials celebrated the grand opening of the National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence (NAAMCE) at Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport near Dayton, Ohio.
The NAAMCE will include a two-story, 30,000-foot2 office building to house administrative, laboratory, meeting and collaboration spaces, with 25,000 square feet2 of aircraft hangar space available for use by the US Air Force and private industry. The center will support the expansion of the work of manufacturers and operators of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to advanced air mobility (AMA).
Vermont-based Beta Technologies, California-based Joby Aviation, and Texas-based LIFT Aircraft are already using the airport to support eVTOL development. The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has partnered with the State of Ohio to develop SkyVision, a system to establish and operate a ground-based detection and avoidance system (GBDAA) on the site. In 2019, the Federal Aviation Administration granted the AFRL authority for flight beyond UAS line-of-sight at the airport.
The City of Springfield, the Dayton Development Coalition (DDC), JobsOhio and the State of Ohio have worked closely with AFRL and its AFWERX Agility Premium program at accelerate the commercial development of eVTOL technology that meets the Air Force’s needs for resilient distributed logistics and sustainable mobility. The new facility is less than 30 minutes’ drive from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the AFRL. The opening of the NAAMCE is scheduled for September 2023.
The Department of Defense approved a $6 million grant from the Defense Community Infrastructure Program to support the project in 2021. With additional funding from state and local governments, the total investment in the site will exceed $10 million.
Ohio State and Dayton Regional Governments Seek to Leverage Center of Excellence and Existing Aerospace Assets to attract AAM manufacturing to the region. State officials believe Economic Impact of AAM in Ohio to reach $13 billion by 2045, generating 15,000 related jobs if the state continues to invest in AAM activities.
The groundbreaking took place on the second day of the National Advanced Air Mobility Industry Forum, a showcase for Ohio’s collaborative aerospace ecosystem and supply chain. Exhibitors included representatives from the region’s resources for research and development, aerospace manufacturing, colleges and universities, and workforce development. Roundtables brought together industry representatives from Joby Aviation, LIFT Aircraft, Lilium, Beta Technologies and Workhorse Group, as well as government officials from the FAA, NASA and the US Air Force. Topics of discussion included eVTOL progress to date, certification and integration of AAM aircraft into national airspace, healthcare use cases and partnerships with federal agencies.
