About the Academy
Over the past years, the mobility sector has seen an array of new technologies, services and companies marking a major transformation in individual mobility. The rise of electric cars, the birth of transport network companies with their new ways of making business and the ongoing automation of vehicles on our roads are now mirrored by an “elevation” of passenger and goods transport into the air.
As this future of mobility is closely intertwined with an increasing digitalisation and automation of road transport, the traditional divide between different transport modes, including that between ground and air transport, is eroding. The systemic components of automated road transport, such as the control of electric driving and charging technologies, sensoring, geo-positioning, swarm-technologies, user-interfaces etc. are merging with those that have governed air-traffic for many years.
This increasing technological convergence is giving rise to new scenarios and visionary transport solutions such as drone-hubs, where individual driving units are docked on drones for long-distance trips or even the replacement of self-driving vehicles by self-flying drones.
Far from being mere “dreams”, these visions are currently materialising all over the world, supported by governments and financed by large corporations and risk capital. First examples are Taxi-Drones in Dubai, the Lilium Jet in Germany, air-bound ride-sourcing experiments with UberAir, or delivery-drones tested and operated by major logistic companies around the world.
As innovative start-ups, established industry players and national governments alike are joining forces in shifting certain types of transportation from road to air, the Drone & Vertical Mobility Academy positions FIA clubs as leaders in this emerging technology.
Led by Switzerland’s TCS, this project is a centre of excellence that acts as the
FIA’s clearing-house for all aspects relating to the professional and private use of electrically
propelled drones and jets, capable of
vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL):
- building expertise and create awareness amongst FIA bodies and member clubs;
- advise regulators and help shape national and international drone policies:
- innovate the vertical mobility market and help to create new business;
- work closely with FIA clubs and propel their drone related business activities
In total, clubs within the
FIA already recognize the added value of the upcoming Drone Academy for their
drone-related operational and strategic activities and, thus are getting ready
to prepare for the “Drone-Disruption” ahead of us.
This project is funded and supported by the FIA Innovation Fund FIF.