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Advanced Air Mobility
DOTD is proud to be a participant in the eVTOL and Advanced Air Mobility Integration Pilot Program.
DOTD's proposal, LIFTOff Louisiana, was among eight selected projects nationwide announced in early 2026. This initiative, established under Executive Order 14307, Unleashing American Drone Dominance (June 6, 2025), partners state, local, tribal, and territorial governments with private-sector entities to demonstrate scalable, operational concepts for integrating new and emerging aircraft into the National Airspace System (NAS).
The program advances national priorities for safe commercialization of emerging aviation technologies, generating empirical data to inform federal rulemaking, policy development, and long-term AAM integration strategies.
Key Partnerships
LIFTOff Louisiana is centered at the Houma–Terrebonne Airport (HUM) with several key infrastructure, government, and industry partners involved.
The program incorporates multiple U.S.-based original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), established operators, advanced surveillance and data providers, academic partners, and community stakeholders. It will test cargo and personnel transportation capabilities, including flights over the Gulf of America to support energy industry locations in Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi.
What is AAM?
LIFTOff Louisiana is standing on the shoulders of NASA and FAA, which have been working on AAM for years. Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) refers to a rapidly emerging sector of aviation that integrates highly automated, electrically powered aircraft—often with vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capability—into the National Airspace System (NAS).
These aircraft, commonly known as eVTOLs (electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing) or powered-lift aircraft, enable efficient, sustainable transportation of passengers and cargo over short to regional distances.