Urban Air Mobility Investments to Pass $318B by 2040

By 2040, as much as $318 billion could be invested into Urban Air Mobility. The NEXA “Urban Air Mobility-Economics and Global Markets” report spans 74 cities worldwide and provides analysis of infrastructure challenges and opportunities in each market.

The report uses a variety of factors including: congestion, population density, existing infrastructure, regulation, GDP, per capita income, among others to determine whether or not a metropolitan area will be an early or late adopter of UAM.

“This study is a groundbreaking investigation into how the future meets the present. How does our society transform from the now—the astonishing electric vehicle prototypes, the conferences and summits, the thousand-and-one speculations—into that future of highways in the sky, the future we clearly know is on the way? It is a crucial question, not just for societal benefits—reduced congestion, greater mobility for those who crave it, scientific and technical jobs, and tax revenues—but also because billions of investment dollars are riding on it,” says NEXA’s website.

The $318B in projected UAM investment not only covers infrastructure, but also aircraft operations in five unique segments: airport shuttle service, air taxi, emergency transport, business aviation, and charter (up to 250 miles). “The report is also a first attempt to identify the cost of UAM infrastructure: $32 billion for all 74 cities by 2040,” says NEXA managing partner, Michael Dyment. “This is very affordable as potential revenues generated from this infrastructure will be in excess of $244 billion.”

Initially, NEXA believes current helicopter services will prevail as a rising demand for UAM arises. Further, the report sees Vancouver, Miami, and Singapore as hubs for accelerated investment in UAM infrastructure and operation.

Why it matters: This report shows a detailed analysis of the global UAM market and its potential implications for industry stakeholders. As UAM becomes a reality, investors will be looking to key markets ripe for innovation through the implementation of eVTOL aircraft and its supporting infrastructure. Further, the report addresses many of the barriers OEMs face today including battery/fuel cell technologies and air traffic management system changes, among others. The report will provide industry stakeholders with the knowledge needed to interpret recent investment trends and the future of the UAM space.