SEIZING TÜRKİYE’S FUTURE: UAM AND ITS GROWTH PERSPECTIVE

SEIZING TÜRKİYE’S FUTURE:

UAM AND ITS GROWTH PERSPECTIVE

Urban Air Mobility (UAM), electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOLs) to reduce traffic, emissions, and travel time in megacities like Istanbul. Türkiye is emerging as a key player in this field through domestic projects such as Baykar Cezeri and AirCar, supported by government R&D, local production policies, and vertiport development. With strong aerospace capabilities and sustainability goals, Türkiye is positioned to become a regional leader in next-generation urban air transport.

Executive Summary

As the mega cities of Türkiye, especially Istanbul continues to grow, the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) along with domestically produced Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) will enable cities to reimagine commutes by reducing cross-Bosphorus travel by 70% and significantly decrease air pollution. Türkiye continues to build on its aerospace capabilities as the UAM develops from 4.21 billion US dollars in 2024 to 14.64 billion dollars by 2032. The United States, Chinese EHang EH216-S certification and FAA empowered lift operations has had a tendency to motivate new innovations as does the Archer Aviation deals in the UAE, and Joby and Delta Airlines partnerships. The UAM sector has projected Indonesia to develop regulatory frameworks and infrastructure for integrating eVTOL aircraft into the country’s urban mobility ecosystem, aiming to alleviate congestion in cities like Jakarta.

Strategically located, Türkiye combines its rich aerospace heritage with astonishingly agile innovation—traits domestically attributed to Baykar and TUSAﬁ—to secure the majority of the high-altitude economy. During the month of October in the year of 2025, as the world’s appetite for eVTOLs skyrocketed, Turkish startup AirCar astonishingly received 100 pre-orders within a week at the competitive rate of $99,000, with 2026 stocks already sold out and advance payments of $250 received showing impressive market demand. Türkiye is focusing on policies specific to the integration of Urban Air Mobility (UAM), including in Istanbul and Ankara where vertiports and UATM systems are being developed. This is supported by the Ministry of Industry and Technology’s Mobility Roadmap, contract with TÜB‹TAK for R&D, and 80% Turkish aerospace manufacturing content policies. Expectedly, such policies would provide a significant boost to the Turkish economy by 2030, adding billions of exports while aiming to comply with the EU’s sustainability initiatives. Türkiye stands to become a beneficiary of innovative agile investments, and with such policies, is poised to become a global leader in sustainable aerial mobility.

In Türkiye, Urban Air Mobility (UAM) goes far beyond integrating a new technology. It is a vision where citizens unclog the traffic of Istanbul, access healthcare in remote parts of Anatolia, and breathe cleaner air in the burgeoning urban centers. It is worth noting that the center of UAM technology is the seamless integration of eVTOL vehicles together with UAVs into the Turkish air space. The promise, in this case, is tailored, eco-friendly, and efficient transit options that respond to the geography and requirements of the country. This article focuses on the evolving ecosystem of UAM in Türkiye. It evaluates the presents of opportunities, threats, and the strategic outlooks of the regulatory systems of the country. It also focuses on the science and technology policies of the country. The purpose is to show the potential of UAM, and that is to protect and serve the development of the nation first.

Key Definitions: Advanced Air Mobility in Türkiye

A first step in incorporating UAM ‘s evolution in Türkiye, is to explain the following definitions with regulatory and operational perspective.

VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing): Types of aircraft that rise and descend vertically. This aircraft combines the effectiveness of a fixed-wing with the versatility of a helicopter. In Türkiye, a disaster response VTOL, a prototype of the Baykar Cezeri, is useful in rough terrains.

Electric VTOL (eVTOL): Vehicles emmiting no carbon during vertial takeoff and landing, noiseless due to distributed propulsion; models tailored for cost efficiency and urban integration, for example: Turkish AirCar, accommodates 2-5 passengers or cargo and offers a two-seater configuration.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs): Defined in Turkish DGCA regulations and EU Regulation 2018/1139, remotely controlled or fully autonomous flying machines. In Türkiye, military UAVs and their civilian counterparts, such as wildfire monitoring (for over 2,000 incidents in 2023), demonstrate the country’s novel dual-use innovation.

Advanced Air Mobility (AAM): AAM in Türkiye integrates unserved regions with the broader seamless cross-multiply network and regional radiating pairs described in the 2030 Sanayi ve Teknoloji Stratejisi.

Urban Air Mobility (UAM): Vertical circuits in electric aircraft, aimed specifically at urban centers; designed for Türkiye’s cities to facilitate quick Bosphorus crossings.

Innovative Aerial Services (IAS) & Innovative Air Mobility (IAM): As in the case of Turkish IAS, which undertakes the agricultural mapping and the monitoring of the land and infrastructural development, the services pertain to the surveillance and the multimodal transport of goods and services.

Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM): The overarching drone surveillance and monitoring system. The DGCA has developed systems which manage and control the safe drone operations within the air territory of Türkiye.

Urban Air Traffic Management (UATM): Primary control of air traffic in defined urban areas which is crucial for the horizontal integration of eVTOLs in the urbanized regions, like the city of Istanbul.

Opportunities in UAM: Accelerating Sustainable Development of Türkiye

The socio-economic development of UAM in Türkiye as highlighted above focuses on the people like in the case of Istanbul where an individual spends an annual traffic time of 50 hours on the road, and in the rapidly developing regions of Türkiye which are prone to earthquakes. According to the latest AAM reports published by NASA, the projected regional air mobility (RAM) market has the potential to serve between 300 and 700 million passengers. For the U.S. market, Deloitte projects the AAM market could reach about US$115 billion annually by 2035 and could create around 280,000 jobs in that timeframe. According to Deloitte’s latest reports, Türkiye also has the potential to generate significant employment in the UAM sector, contributing to broader economic development.

The Integration of UAM into the Transport System of Türkiye

The eVTOLs are designed to offer a cleaner and quieter alternative to the helicopters. This offer is in line with the European Green Deal, which targets greenhouse gas neutrality by 2050. These vehicles will help in the decarbonizing of urban centers such as Ankara and Izmir, thereby meeting the emission targets set by the Türkiye government as well as the EU. And as the case with eVTOLs developed by Turkish corporations, they are easily integrated into the national transport system, which enhances the operational efficiency by lowering the carbon emissions in the crowded regions.

The Ecomomic benefits that come from UAM

The main purpose of innovation, is to leverage the new opportunities that UAM makes, creates new jobs, and new structures, along with building new infrastructure. The Turkish UAV exports reached approximately $1.8 billion, positioning the country as one of the world’s leading UAV providers, with an estimated 65% share of the global UAV export market. Walsh (2025) estimates that the market for Regional Air Mobility (RAM), a segment within Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), could reach $75 billion to $115 billion by 2035. Globally, the emerging concept of a ‘low‑altitude economy’ — encompassing UAVs, eVTOLs and other low‑altitude airspace activities — is being developed through infrastructure, regulation and industry investment. In Türkiye, the regulatory and industry groundwork for Urban Air Mobility (UAM) is being built, reflecting the country’s engagement with low‑altitude air‑mobility systems and supporting technologies.

Increasing The Mean UAM’s opportunities in Türkiye

There are specific steps that should be taken that will boost the UAM in Türkiye to the next level.

Enhancing Demonstration of Societal Benefits to Gain Acceptance: The promotion of public awareness that emphasizes the reduction of congestion in the Turkish city of Istanbul.

Environmental Responsibility of the Effects of Noise Pollution: To ensure smooth operational landscapes in Türkiye wildlife, and operational city areas.

Investing in Training for the New Generation of Professionals: Turkish research and innovation institutions, such as TÜB‹TAK, support aerospace research and development and provide training programs for students and professionals in the aviation and aerospace sectors.

Reduction of the Cost of the Services: To enhance the adoption of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) in Türkiye, policymakers could consider integrating UAM with existing multimodal transport systems. Such integration may improve efficiency and accessibility while potentially reducing costs for the public.

Risk Allocable Insurance: Tailoring policies for Turkish operations covering risks like cyber-attacks to gain the trust of investors.

These approaches guarantee that UAM’s diverse deployments will continue to assist with the equitable development of the Republic of Türkiye.

Addressing the Specific Problems of Türkiye

Policy solutions are required within the specific context of Türkiye with regard to urban density, the high number of urban heritage sites, and the lagging legal and regulatory framework.

Easier Problems to Solve: Physical Infrastructure

The development of vertiports and air corridors should take into account and protect Türkiye’s cultural heritage, particularly the historic silhouette of Istanbul. It is also suggested to explore above-building integrations, where delivery or service points could be placed on rooftops or elevated platforms without interfering with the operations of the buildings below.

Easier Problems to Solve: Digital Infrastructure

The UATM System is a prerequisite to guarantee safe UAM operations within the Republic of Türkiye, more so with the level of air traffic. Aligned with the European Union, there are active investments in Artificial Intelligence to mitigate cyber challenges and enhance flight operations capability. Legal and Policy Framework Challenges for UAM

Sound liability frameworks need to be in place, especially with the technology and the pace of change that the industry is experiencing. As scope and requirements increase, the need for more interactive collaborations including DGCA on certification and the intersection of privacy and technology, along with insurance, are needed.

The Absence of Cohesive International Standards

The lack of global uniformity creates difficulties for Türkiye’s efforts to go cross border. Though much influenced by EASA, national changes are more prominent.

Global, Regional, and National Level Regulations

The baseline is set by ICAO, with EASA providing regional controls and DGCA in Türkiye responsible for the incorporation of drones and eVTOLs into the national airspace system with registration, ensuring alignment with international standards.

Exemplary Case Studies in UAM Development

Uber Elevate - United States: Uber Elevate was Uber’s urban air mobility division, focused on eVTOL concepts and infrastructure planning. It helped develop early UAM strategies and tools for on-demand aerial mobility before being acquired by Joby Aviation in 2020. While it did not reach full commercial operations, its research and planning influenced the global UAM sector.

UAE - Archer Aviation Infrastructure: First hybrid heliport; similar to Türkiye’s Vertiport and Urban Air Mobility Development projects.

Turkiye: AirCar’s Rapid Success: AirCar has reportedly received over 100 pre-orders by October 2025, with mass production anticipated around 2027. The project has garnered significant local investment, including support from platforms like Fonbulucu, reflecting growing interest in Türkiye’s UAM sector.

Recommended Plan for UAM Challenges and Issues

eVTOL system and vertiport infrastructure: Develop eVTOL vertiports in strategic locations in Türkiye.

Urban UAV logistics: Allocate airspace for seamless urban logistics and efficient cargo transfer.

UATM with reasonable AI assistance: UATM with situational awareness in dense airspace.

Demand surveys: Feasibility Assess urban and emergency contexts in Türkiye.

Innovation and R&D: Innovation Platforms to encourage investment via Turkish Technology and Scientific Research Institution (TÜB‹TAK).

Regulatory Framework: Align the policies of the General Directorate of Civil Aviation of Türkiye (DGCA) with international policies.

Cooperative Framework: Develop comprehensive Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) to facilitate trust.

Geo-fence Integration and Assignment of Responsibility: Clear rules of the airspace to be integrated for safe operations and defined liability.

UAM and UAV Legal Operational Framework in Türkiye

Bolt is evolving to enable domestic UAM in Türkiye while complying to the Chicago Convention in international border safety. ‘Article 1’ is planning for airspace governance and border control; uncontrolled interface with neighboring countries could be strategically dangerous.

In eVTOLs, most relevant features…

Airspace Sovereignty: Aircraft with Domestic Civil Aviation Authority (DGCA) approval.

Registration of Aircraft: Vehicle registration is a prerequisite for all of them

Air Traffic Control: UATM system incorporation

As of November 2025, Türkiye’s Urban Air Mobility (UAM) regulations are still under development. However, existing aviation laws such as Law No. 2920 and SHT-‹HA require the registration of UAVs exceeding 500 grams. The DGCA (General Directorate of Civil Aviation) has introduced simplifications to the regulatory framework in 2025, facilitating smoother entry into the UAM sector. These changes support the country’s broader Mobility Roadmap, which fosters collaboration across stakeholders to fill regulatory gaps and promote sustainable aerial mobility. Projects like Cezeri, developed by Baykar, and AirCar are pivotal in Türkiye’s push towards establishing UAM infrastructure, including vertiports and regulatory frameworks for licensing. The Turkish government recognizes the social benefits of UAM development, focusing on improving urban mobility and reducing congestion. While social justice is not a clearly defined aspect of current UAM policy, there is an emphasis on workforce development and training programs in aerospace technologies to equip the next generation of professionals for future challenges in aviation and automation. Turkish Air Mobility Ecosystem: Strategy and Forecasts

With 80% domestically produced and governed backed, Türkiye aims to UAM ‘leadership’. AirCar’s November 2025 crowdfunding success alongside partnership of EU’s Green Deal aims 30% urban emission reduction target.

Industry Projections for the Development of VTOL UAVs (2021-2030)

Current projections illustrate staged progression, and the primary focus at the moment is on testing.

The Aerospace Industry: Cornerstones of Industry within Turkish Aerospace

Türkiye is a UAV center and is researching eVTOLs for logistics and mobility. Particularly, used to optimise several processes, UAVs provided helpful information monitoring with the use of optical and IR, radar, photogrammetry (3D), and visual cameras. Predefined flight plans enabled real-time response using kinematic and static programmed UAVs. Economic development relies on actively used policies and the positive results of scientific investments by organizations and private enterprises. Looking economically, used technologically advanced solutions support policies of expenditure effective control.

Conclusion: Türkiye’s Strategic Plan

Türkiye’s UAM’s policy blueprint is the first of its kind to focus on people: fostering innovation and balancing it with policy. Addressing challenges with regulation, investment, and involvement: Türkiye’s can be the leader in sustainable aerial mobility. Policy makers need to accelerate collaborations, training, and missions to help the people, and elevate the nation.

Sources

1. Fortune Business Insights. (2025). Urban Air Mobility (UAM) Market Size & Forecast 2025–2032.

2. Walsh, R. (2025). Regional Air Mobility: Infrastructure Challenges, Passenger and Cargo Market Potential, and Sustainability Strategies for Underserved Airports. NASA Technical Report.

3. European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). (2024). Easy Access Rules for Unmanned Aircraft Systems.

4. Sanayi ve Teknoloji Bakanl›€›. (2022). Mobilite Araç ve Teknolojileri Yol Haritas›.

5. Birinci, F., Yilmaz, M. F., Alpaslan, E., Maraﬂ, E. E., & Aydin, M. M. (2025). Above-building parking area and urban plan arrangement proposal for civil aircraft: the case of Türkiye. Aviation, 29(2), 118–128.

6. Baykar Technologies. (2025). Cezeri flying car technical specifications.

7. AirCar Technology & Aviation. (2025). Electric flying car achieves manned test flight milestone in Türkiye.

8. Deloitte. (2019). Changes in the Air.

9. Morgan Stanley. (2025). Autonomous aircraft: How they will transform air travel.

10. European Commission. (n.d.). European Green Deal.

11. eVTOL News. (n.d.). EHang 216.

12. NASA. (n.d.). Advanced Air Mobility (AAM).

13. Archer Aviation. (2025). Archer secures design approval for UAE’s first hybrid heliport.

14. Republic of Türkiye, Ministry of Industry and Technology. (2022). Mobility Vehicles and Technologies Roadmap.