Utah to launch Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) called “Project Alta”

Utah's aerospace and defence association, 47G, in partnership with the Utah Governor's Office, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT), the Utah Inland Port Authority and industry stakeholders, have launched an Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) scheme called ""Project Alta."" According to a statement from 47G, Project Alta seeks to “create a well-functioning transportation system in the air that connects seamlessly with Utah's transportation system on the ground"": “The alliance aims to expand existing drone package delivery to more Utah communities, utilize drones for cargo transport, and establish regional air taxi service that move people by 2034. With Utah slated to host the world for the Winter Olympic Games in 2034, efficiently moving people and goods will be critically important. “Utah stands out as the one of the only states in the country undertaking a comprehensive, state-wide approach supported at the highest levels of state and local government, industry and academia. Utah legislators have enacted forward-thinking policies to create a regulatory framework in which advanced air mobility technologies can flourish. “They have passed laws enabling the creation of air mobility systems and directed UDOT to create an ""AAM sandbox"" that will accelerate these technologies in a safe testing environment. To date, state legislators have appropriated over $3 million for AAM initiatives”. ""Utah has unique assets—growth, tourism, business, beautiful national parks—47G's work to establish state-wide air mobility solutions will allow visitors from around the world to access everything Utah has to offer,"" said Utah Governor Spencer Cox. ""Aerospace, defence and cyber companies make up 20% of Utah's economy. 47G Project Alta has a mandate from the state to lead our advanced air mobility strategy, positioning Utah to become a global leader in this fast-growing industry."" ""Project Alta represents a collaborative, public-private partnership of industry and government stakeholders seeking to establish the first nationally recognized multi-modal transportation system with air mobility as a core tenet,"" said Aaron Starks, 47G president and CEO. ""By leveraging our entrepreneurial spirit and cutting-edge technologies, we will attract investment, accelerate the development of critical infrastructure, and enable the deployment of aircraft that make our transportation system truly multimodal."" ""During my decade in Congress, I had the privilege of serving as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence where I played a key role enacting legislation that protected our national security,"" said former Congressman Chris Stewart, chair of 47G. ""47G Project Alta's ground-breaking work will not only improve Utahns' mobility but also protect our national security by creating a national model for air mobility collaboration that can be replicated around the country.""