McGill Interdisciplinary Air Mobility Initiative (MIAMI)
Aviation is on the precipice of a paradigm shift, with advances across a range of relevant fields converging to enable a potential revolution in the delivery of aerial services. Cloud computing, software development and artificial intelligence, composite materials, and electrical power distribution systems all combine to provide the basis for fundamentally different ways of conducting aviation in a manner that has the potential to unlock significant social benefits, including regional connectivity, lower environmental footprint, and lower costs. The development of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) projects can embody this paradigm shift by offering the potential for faster, more convenient, and environmentally-friendly urban and regional air travel and logistics services.
AAM can facilitate complex operations in emergency situations, i.e. the delivery of medical services and supplies, particularly in combination with other emerging technologies such as uncrewed aircraft delivery networks. AAM could also help address the growing issue of traffic jams in urban areas and assist with last-mile or critical deliveries. Moreover, it fosters technological innovation whilst also offering potential emissions reductions through the use of electric power systems. Canada, a leading country in the aerospace industry and with a large landmass with remote communities inaccessible or unreliably accessible by ground transportation, stands to benefit significantly from the development of AAM technologies. In the northern regions, AAM can offer a more reliable and efficient means of delivering cargo, facilitating inter-community exchange, and transporting emergency supplies to remote areas. In larger urban centres, AAM has the potential to ease traffic congestion, optimise mobility, and substantially reduce transportation times. However, the effective integration of AAM requires careful consideration of its interactions with municipal, provincial, and federal regulations in aviation, urban planning, environmental law, liability frameworks, and privacy rules, among other relevant norms.
This project seeks to provide the first comprehensive analysis of the existing regulatory framework governing AAM in Canada. The overall goal of the project is to map the regulatory landscape of provincial, federal, and municipal rules that may affect AAM in Canada. This analysis goes beyond aviation law to encompass related regulatory fields, including environmental protection, urban planning, liability, data protection, privacy, cybersecurity, and insurance. While distinct from aviation law, these areas play a crucial role in regulating different aspects of AAM.
MIAMI is the McGill Interdisciplinary Air Mobility Initiative. Its purpose is to bring together vast expertise across numerous fields to unlock emerging aviation technology opportunities in Canada. Through regular meetings, MIAMI will traverse technical, economic, social, and legal challenges, mapping the landscape relevant to these emerging technologies. MIAMI’s output will be open-access and bilingual, designed to provide a platform for targeted government and industry action to enable the responsible delivery of social benefits to Canada.
The McGill Interdisciplinary Air Mobility Initiative is supported in part by funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
