UAM Geomatics Warns $16.6 Billion Infrastructure Gap Could Slow Advanced Air Mobility Rollout Across the United States
UAM Geomatics has released a new industry paper warning that the United States faces a projected $16.6 billion infrastructure investment gap that must be addressed if the emerging ‘Vertical Mobility Economy’ is to scale successfully.
The report, titled “As eIPP Launches, AAM Aircraft are Nearly Ready. The $16.6 Billion Infrastructure Gap Remains,” examines the infrastructure requirements needed to support commercial AAM operations across 62 major U.S. metropolitan regions through 2045. It has been co-authored by Michael J. Dyment, Managing Partner at NEXA Advisors LLC, and Benjamin Zevin, Director of UAM Geomatics.
Dyment presented the white paper as part of a ‘TED Talk’ to delegates at eVTOL Insights’ recent North America Conference, held at the National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence (NAAMCE).
According to the analysis, while aircraft certification programs and regulatory frameworks are advancing rapidly, supporting infrastructure has not kept pace.
UAM Geomatics estimates that approximately $11.2 billion will be required for ground infrastructure including vertiports, charging systems, passenger facilities and utility upgrades, while a further $5.4 billion will be needed for air traffic control modernization, communications systems, surveillance technology and urban air traffic management capabilities.
The study highlights that these 62 markets represent approximately 60 percent of the U.S. population and overlap significantly with regions participating in the Federal Aviation Administration’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP). Researchers say this creates a critical opportunity for infrastructure deployment, operational testing and regulatory development to progress simultaneously.
The report says: “Advanced Air Mobility will only become a profitable and safe transportation solution when ground infrastructure and air traffic systems are built alongside aircraft certification. Without infrastructure investment, the sector risks remaining a collection of demonstration projects rather than evolving into a scalable transportation network.”
The report presents several significant findings about the scale and composition of infrastructure requirements. UAM Geomatics forecasts that 2,570 vertiports will need to be operational by 2045, including approximately 1,400 remediated heliport sites that can be converted into vertiports to reduce costs and accelerate deployment.
The infrastructure mix includes:
- 600 unserviced vertiports costing between $1.5 million and $2.2 million each
- 350 serviced vertiports costing between $2.8 million and $3.8 million each
- 150 urban multiports with estimated costs of $17 million to $23 million each
- 60 airport multiports costing between $55 million and $68 million each
The report also estimates a substantial long-term commercial opportunity for the sector. Across five primary use cases — regional air mobility, airport shuttles, on-demand air taxis, business aviation and medical transport — operator revenue potential is projected to exceed $210 billion over the next two decades. When broader economic impacts are included, the total market impact is estimated at more than $330 billion.
It also emphasizes profitability in the AAM sector will depend heavily on operational density and aircraft utilization. High-frequency urban operations require fast aircraft turnaround times, reliable charging infrastructure, coordinated airspace management and dense vertiport networks capable of supporting recurring passenger demand.
The report argues that early deployment efforts should focus on large metropolitan markets where demand concentration, congestion and premium travel needs are strongest. Key use cases identified include airport transfers, regional business travel, medical transport and time-sensitive logistics.
It says: “Compared with other major transportation projects in the United States, this investment requirement is relatively modest. Individual airport redevelopments such as JFK and LaGuardia have required similar levels of capital investment.
“What makes this opportunity unique is that the investment supports an entirely new transportation layer with applications across passenger mobility, logistics, public safety and defense.”
The report recommends public-private partnerships as the most practical path forward for financing infrastructure deployment. Suggested approaches include the use of federal loan guarantees, tax-assisted financing instruments and Private Activity Bonds to encourage private capital participation.
UAM Geomatics’ forecasting methodology uses a bottom-up, city-by-city geospatial model evaluating more than 100 metropolitan areas worldwide across multiple AAM use cases. The model incorporates factors such as airport traffic, population density, congestion, business aviation activity, livability metrics and existing heliport infrastructure to forecast passenger demand and infrastructure needs.
The company says the findings reinforce the importance of coordinated planning between regulators, airports, utilities, infrastructure developers and operators as the industry transitions from pilot projects toward commercial-scale operations.
A Challenge to Sector Participants
If infrastructure planning, regulatory development, and operational testing move forward together, the United States will have a clear path toward a scalable, reliable, and economically sustainable Advanced Air Mobility system—unlocking the full potential of the Vertical Mobility Economy.
The business case analysis, forecasting and econometric models developed for this effort by UAM Geomatics are under constant review and improvement. A significant number of analyses and forecasts performed for the FAA, DOT, GAO, and numerous state departments of transportation, confirm the fidelity of the AAM and drone sector promise.
The co-authors welcome and encourage review, critiques and inputs of our analysis of the Vertical Mobility Economy from stakeholders. Please contact co-author Benjamin Zevin here: ben.zevin@nexa-uam.com
