The Civil Aviation Safety Authority is predicting advanced air mobility (AAM) operations to begin in Australia between 2027 and 2029.
AAM relies on the development of piloted electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, which are expected to increase traffic in the low-level airspace currently used by helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft taking off and landing, and remotely-piloted aerial systems (RPAS) such as drones.
In December, CASA published an updated version of their RPAS and AAM Strategic Regulatory Roadmap, which lays out the regulator's thinking when it comes to airspace management changes that are expected over the next 10-15 years.
"The Roadmap outlines Australia's approach to safely integrating advanced aviation technologies into our airspace and regulatory framework and was updated to reflect developments since it was released in 2022," CASA Director of Aviation Safety and CEO Pip Spence said in the February 2025 CASA Briefing newsletter published today.
"... the new version followed industry input on content, initiatives and timeframes as well as developments in areas such as large RPAS and research and development."
CASA expects commercial eVTOL operations including passenger carrying to begin in urban areas in the next three years.
"Approval processes for small to medium RPAS will become clearer and more aligned with national and international regulations," the roadmap states. "This will help pave the way for Australian-registered RPAS and AAM aircraft to start international operations during this period.
"The industry will look to certify piloted AAM aircraft by type. It is likely that further planning and development will progress for vertiports and other supporting infrastructure."
The roadmap lays out how uncrewed traffic management (UTM) will impact Australia's Future Airspace Framework (AFAF), and notes that at the present time there is little connection to airspace management except for the few drones in operation.
CASA believes an increase in traffic and size of RPAS, plus the advent of AAM expected from 2027 onward, will create a requirement for a harmonised national airspace system.
"We will base this [system] on an evidence and risk-based approach where safety is the primary consideration. It will use robust collision risk modelling to minimise restrictions on user access to airspace, balancing other stakeholder needs," the roadmap states.
"This could include efficiency, equitability, the environment, or national security. This approach will maintain an acceptable level of safety performance, regardless of the type of aircraft or pilot.
"UTM is one enabler of this harmonised national airspace approach."
CASA also believe fully-autonomous uncrewed eVTOLs will begin limited operations in the 2030-2033 period, with hybrid technologies emerging after that, which will "blur the lines" between traditional aircraft and crewed or uncrewed AAM.
Spence described the roadmap towards incorporating UTM and AAM into the AFAF as a "complex process", stating that CASA was "working closely with other government agencies, operators, manufacturers and our counterparts overseas to ensure Australia remains at the forefront of these emerging technologies."
The full RPAS and AAM roadmap is available on the CASA website.