Between 2023 and 2025, the core of the CITYAM project has been Urban Air Mobility (UAM), its increasingly important role in cities and the tools needed to manage drones and the growth of the field. Drones are a green and smart tool with many different use cases in the urban context, increasingly recognised as such by cities around Europe. But the potential, volume and location of these automated vehicles in the lower airspace of our cities needs management and better planning. For this, a strategy and policies, preparation, greater awareness and more knowledge and tools are crucial. The increase in Urban Air Mobility during the lifetime of CITYAM has only emphasised this need. 

The 13-partner strong consortium with six ambitious cities, completed by living lab partners, network organisations and renowned universities has developed, tested and scaled urban air mobility. While industry works on overcoming technical challenges and the European Aviation Safety Agency pushes forward with regulations, societies in the BSR – cities and their citizens – have not been idly standing by, waiting until this new technology has taken permanently a larger place in our daily lives. Through close transnational cooperation, CITYAM has worked hard to provide the ingredients and tools for a roadmap to a solid UAM strategy, to adapt city planning practices in relation to landing site planning, and also to scale city-owned drone operations as part of a multimodal mobility system. Increasing public officials’ capabilities, and measuring public acceptance has been key to this work. 

Through CITYAM, its tools and outputs, the Baltic Sea Region has strengthened its European frontrunner role in UAM and leads the way for local authorities to shape a responsible and sustainable use of the low airspace above our cities.