According to an article by UASweekly.com:
SkyGrid, an Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Third-Party Service Provider (TSP), and Wisk Aero, an autonomous aviation company, have released a new white paper, “Enabling Scalable Urban Air Mobility Through Automated Flight Rules,” outlining how Automated Flight Rules (AFR) can enable the safe and scalable integration of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) operations into global airspace.
The white paper builds on the Automated Flight Rules Concept of Operations released in December 2025, advancing the conversation from a high-level framework to a focused application for low-altitude UAM operations.
As passenger-carrying electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft move closer to commercial operations, integrating high-tempo flights into already complex urban airspace remains a critical challenge. The paper proposes that scalable UAM will require a coordinated evolution of airspace management, including:
- Advanced automated traffic management systems
- The introduction of new airspace structures, referred to as Class X airspace
- The establishment of a new operating mode, Automated Flight Rules
AFR is designed to complement rather than replace existing Visual Flight Rules (VFR) and Instrument Flight Rules (IFR). While traditional flight rules rely on human-to-human voice coordination and air traffic control separation services, AFR enables properly equipped aircraft to use certified automation for conflict management and decision-making. This shift supports higher-density operations while maintaining safety and reducing controller workload.
“Urban Air Mobility cannot scale under today’s human-centric traffic management model alone,” said Jia Xu, CEO of SkyGrid. “Automated Flight Rules represent the next logical evolution in aviation — leveraging certified automation to enable predictable, high-density operations while maintaining the highest standards of safety. This white paper provides a practical framework for how that future can be realized.”
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