N.C. A&T to Lead NCDOT University Transportation Center on Air Mobility and Drone Innovation

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (Dec. 11, 2024) — North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University will lead the University Transportation Center of Excellence for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) recently awarded by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT).

NCDOT will invest an initial $2 million over the next two years to support research in “multimodal transportation, emergency response, regional air mobility, and preparing the infrastructure and workforce needed to make new aviation technologies a success.”

Abdollah Homaifar, Ph.D., will lead the center as principal investigator, bringing decades of leadership and research bona fides to the role as Samuel P. Langley Distinguished Professor and Duke Energy Eminent Professor in N.C. A&T’s Department of Electrical Engineering in the College of Engineering (COE).

“We are honored to lead this groundbreaking initiative,” said Homaifar. “Our research will not only position North Carolina at the forefront of Advanced Air Mobility and UAS advancements, but also create pathways for students to develop the skills and expertise needed for careers in this transformative industry.

Homaifar is joined by A&T colleagues Ali Karimoddini, Ph.D., electrical engineering professor and director of the Center for Regional & Rural Connected Communities Regional University Transportation Center, the NC Transportation Center of Excellence in Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Technology as well as the Autonomous Cooperative Control of Emergent Systems of Systems lab and Willie A. Deese College of Business and Economics UPS Endowed Professor Rongfang “Rachel” Liu, Ph.D., director of the Transportation Institute at A&T.

Homaifar also serves as director of the Autonomous Control and Information Technology Institute, director of Testing, Evaluation and Control of Heterogenous Large-Scale Systems of Autonomous Vehicles and the principal investigator of the NASA University Leadership Initiative Safe Assured Autonomy. His research portfolio includes securing an $8 million NASA award to develop mobility solutions for air passenger taxis in collaborations with academia and industry stakeholders to help the agency “address safety, security and traffic congestion by developing, testing and eventually deploying air passenger taxis as a supplemental means of transportation.”

“In May, A&T hosted Technology Day, drawing more than 1,200 attendees from all over the world, including NCDOT Transportation Secretary Joey Hopkins, Ebony Pittman, A&T alumna and NCDOT deputy secretary for business administration. The event allowed guests to explore technology, including autonomous air and ground vehicles and rides in the Aggie Autonomous shuttles on the rural test track at Gateway Research Park North.”

“Research leadership in air mobility and transportation is crucial given the importance of access in today's world. Our faculty and students are dedicated to finding solutions that enhance aviation technologies, focusing on improving safety, accessibility, and autonomous transportation,” said Stephanie Luster-Teasley Pass, COE dean. “They are also committed to empowering students to apply their innovative ideas to meet the transportation challenges and design needs of the future. Our College is very excited about the work Dr. Homaifar and his team will lead and the research generated through the University Transportation Center of Excellence for Advanced Air Mobility and Unmanned Aircraft System.”

The proposed research at the new center will directly enhance connectivity between ground and air transport, ensuring multimodal operations and greater efficiency. It also will improve the state’s emergency response capabilities, enabling faster and more effective disaster relief efforts in rural communities. It prioritizes the safe and reliable deployment of AAM solutions for regional air mobility services connecting wider areas with major transit hubs, creating frameworks to address operational challenges.

Economic growth is another anticipated outcome, as the initiative will create jobs, attract investment, and strengthen collaborations between academia and industry. Furthermore, the development of advanced infrastructure to support AAM and UAS technologies will modernize transportation systems, positioning North Carolina as a hub for cutting-edge mobility solutions.

A&T will contribute to developing an advanced simulation platform to enable seamless coordination between ground and air transport systems aiming to enhance connectivity, ensuring multimodal transportation solutions for urban and rural communities in North Carolina.

The team – which includes researchers from North Carolina State University and Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) and industry partners – will also focus on ensuring the safe and reliable deployment of electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft, connecting regional areas to major transit hubs and addressing operational challenges. Additionally, A&T researchers will provide guidance on community engagement to foster public acceptance and will review the aviation job market and its impacts related to AAM.

N.C. State’s research team, led by Daniel Findley, Ph.D., P.E., will primarily contribute in the areas of surface and air mobility integration, rural emergency response, operational safety and reliability, and the potential economic, infrastructure, and workforce benefits and impacts of this technology. Findley is associate director of the Institute for Transportation Research and Education and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering at N.C. State.

ECSU’s research team, led by Kuldeep Rawat, Ph.D., Thorpe Endowed Professor and School of Science, Aviation, Health, and Technology dean, will focus on assessing UAS/AAM deployment for emergency response in rural areas and workforce training program for AAM operators.

Key industry partners, including Boeing, AeroX, Crown Consulting Inc., FLYABOUT Strategies LLC, AirDex Inc. and RAVEN Advisory LLC, will play a pivotal role in advancing and integrating AAM and UAS technologies within North Carolina’s transportation framework.