Kansas outlines multi-year roadmap for advanced air mobility, highlights test sites and workforce needs

Kansas transportation and aviation officials on Tuesday outlined a multi-year strategy to prepare the state for advanced air mobility and other emerging aviation technologies, emphasizing the need for coordinated infrastructure, workforce training and regulatory alignment.

The briefing, led by Ray Steve, Director of Aviation, Kansas Department of Transportation, presented the state's AAM (Advanced Air Mobility) vision "to maintain Kansas' leadership in emerging aviation technology by creating a dynamic ecosystem to enhance connectivity, drive economic growth, expand transportation access and improve quality of life for Kansans," Steve said.

Committee members were told the state has formed an emerging aviation technology working group of roughly two to three dozen members from state agencies, academia, industry, utilities, municipalities and airports to develop a centralized strategy rather than one led by a single agency.

Officials described several implementation priorities. The state has retained the MITRE Corporation to produce a statewide implementation roadmap and market analysis that will outline phased investments, identify minimum service levels and quantify economic impacts; the study is expected in Q4 of this year, Steve said. "It's a multi year plan," he added, noting that infrastructure, regulatory standards and operations cannot be built overnight.

Kansas State University, Wichita State University and industry partners described test-site and laboratory capabilities intended to support certification and commercialization. Kurt Carraway, executive director of the Applied Aviation Research Center at Kansas State University, said the Salina campus is being developed as a test site for uncrewed and advanced air mobility operations, including ground-based detect-and-avoid instrumentation and facilities to validate onboard detect-and-avoid systems.

Pierre Harder, associate vice president for research and industry engagement at Wichita State University, said the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) provides flight testing, experimental modifications, maintenance, overhaul and certification support. NIAR is building a tethered (restrained) flight-test facility for close-to-ground testing that Harder said will be operational later this year, with Textron named as an initial launch customer.

Lucas Cook, chief executive officer of Kelly Hills Unmanned Systems, described a privately operated FAA-approved test range headquartered near Seneca, Kansas. Cook said Kelly Hills is working with agricultural companies to commercialize large unmanned aircraft for crop applications and firefighting, and that the company's range is currently the largest contiguous FAA test range in the United States, covering parts of Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri and Iowa. "The safety case for us is to put the drones in very dangerous spots and put the manned aircraft in kind of easier, more open and, you know, frankly better paying areas and use the drones and automation to make it a safer airspace for everybody," Cook said.

Speakers emphasized technical gaps that must be addressed before routine commercial operations: detect-and-avoid capabilities, airspace integration, communications and electric power. "A central hallmark of this new and emerging aviation technology is the notion that the individual operating it isn't in said aircraft," said Bridal Casson, Chief of Strategic Plans and Programs, KDOT Division of Aviation. Casson said current FAA approvals often rely on waivers or exemptions and that a "system of systems" approach and ground-based infrastructure will be required to substitute for a pilot's line-of-sight.

Officials discussed electric infrastructure needs and vertiport design. Committee members were advised to assess local electrical capacity: some anticipated DC fast-charging stations for aircraft could approach about 1 megawatt per unit, speakers said. On certification and infrastructure standards, presenters noted the FAA has signaled vertiports will be treated in a manner similar to heliports and that advisory guidance for vertiport design and electrical requirements is forthcoming.

Workforce and commercialization were recurring themes. Presenters said Kansas benefits from three universities that are part of the FAA's UAS Research Center of Excellence and from existing R&D and flight-test capabilities that can help companies move from research and development to production. Kurt Carraway and others described K-State and Wichita State outreach to public-safety agencies and K-12 and community-college programs to build a pipeline for pilots, technicians and engineers; Lucas Cook said Kelly Hills engages Highland Community College and will hold an event at Jackson Heights High School later this month.

Committee members asked about federal funding and standards. Pierre Harder and Wichita State staff said much of current work is industry-funded; they noted that a lack of standards complicates commercialization for smaller companies and that FAA research and standards development are important precursors to broader market growth. Senator Schmidt asked about SBIR/STTR activity; Wichita State said such awards have been limited and that most work at the university is performed for larger OEMs or industry partners.

The briefing closed with committee members thanking presenters and asking for follow-up. No formal votes or motions were taken during the session.

Looking ahead, presenters recommended continued statewide coordination to align infrastructure, industry outreach, workforce programs and regulatory engagement as the MITRE roadmap is finalized and the FAA continues work on certification and guidance for advanced air mobility.