The Strategy calls for a cooperative airspace model aligned with SkyGrid’s mission to build the digital infrastructure for Advanced Air Mobility.
The release of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) National Strategy and Comprehensive Plan represents a defining moment for the future of aviation. The Strategy provides a clear, unified framework for how the nation will safely integrate advanced and autonomous aviation through 2035, and it aligns directly with SkyGrid’s mission to build the digital infrastructure for scalable, data-driven airspace operations.
The DOT’s six Key Pillars—spanning airspace, infrastructure, security, community planning and engagement, workforce, and automation —signal a decisive shift from vision to execution. For SkyGrid, Pillar 1: Airspace stands out as the cornerstone of this transformation: a call to pioneer a new public-private cooperative model for low-altitude airspace management.
“This National Strategy marks a pivotal step toward a more connected, cooperative, and data-driven airspace,” said Jia Xu, CEO of SkyGrid. “SkyGrid’s mission has always been to build the digital infrastructure that allows highly automated and uncrewed aircraft to operate safely at scale. We are reassured in our mission after seeing the DOT and FAA embracing a distributed model that aligns perfectly with the systems we are developing.”
Below, we outline key observations and SkyGrid’s commitment:
- Endorsing a Cooperative, Distributed Airspace Model
The Strategy’s shift toward a “cooperative area” construct—where multiple service providers operate under FAA oversight to support strategic and tactical AAM traffic management—represents a necessary evolution. SkyGrid is fully aligned with this vision and is prepared to deliver systems that enable reliable coordination across multiple providers in defined airspace volumes. - Willingness to Serve as a Third-Party ATM Provider
The call to formalize third-party air traffic management (ATM) and surveillance roles is a central opening for industry. SkyGrid is working together with regulators and industry to support the development of new rulemaking, certification pathways, and industry consensus standards required for third parties to provide enhanced ATM services. Our technology is already being built with this in mind. - Advancing Next-Generation, Layered Surveillance and Data Fusion
The surveillance coverage of existing radar systems may be insufficient in the lower-altitude, high-density environment where AAM will operate. The Strategy’s emphasis on layered surveillance—incorporating self-reported position, sensor fusion, networked data, and third-party feeds—is critical. SkyGrid’s architecture is designed to ingest, fuse, and monitor multi-source data with low latency and high integrity. - Enabling Secure, Interoperable Information Exchange
A cooperative airspace demands seamless, trustworthy data exchange across stakeholders. We endorse the Strategy’s push for standardized protocols and security frameworks and are actively building data exchange platforms designed for interoperability, resilience, and assurance across the AAM ecosystem.
Building Toward Implementation
SkyGrid intends to collaborate with federal agencies and state partners to advance the implementation of cooperative airspace management through upcoming FAA modernization programs such as the Brand New Air Traffic Control System, the Common Automation Platform RFI, and the eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP). The company’s software-defined approach is designed to evolve alongside regulatory frameworks like Part 146, ensuring that certified digital services can seamlessly integrate into the National Airspace System (NAS).
As the National Strategy accelerates toward demonstration milestones in 2027, 2030, and 2035, SkyGrid will continue to develop the foundational services needed to support safe, secure, and scalable AAM operations.
The full U.S. National Strategy on Advanced Air Mobility can be accessed here.