Urban Air Mobility (UAM) Pilot – The Schools' Aerospace Careers Programme

What Does This Career Involve?

UAM Pilots operate electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in urban and suburban environments. These vehicles are designed for short, efficient journeys — like city-to-airport hops or rapid inter-city connections. Pilots manage flight operations, interact with semi-autonomous systems, and ensure passenger or cargo safety in airspaces shared with drones and traditional aircraft.

Why Is This the Future?

With road congestion increasing and emissions targets tightening, urban air mobility offers a faster, cleaner alternative to traditional transport. Dozens of companies are developing eVTOL vehicles, and cities around the world are planning for aerial transit corridors. Pilots will be essential in the early adoption phase — helping to train systems, build trust, and guide a smooth transition.

Related Existing Careers

Helicopter Pilot

With experience in vertical take-off, landing, and low-altitude navigation, helicopter pilots are ideally placed to transition into piloting eVTOL aircraft for urban air mobility services.

Drone Operator

Commercial drone pilots already manage autonomous and semi-autonomous aerial systems. Their understanding of unmanned flight, airspace regulations, and real-time monitoring is highly transferable to UAM piloting.

Flight Instructor

Experienced instructors will be needed to train new generations of UAM pilots — both human and hybrid-AI systems — especially during early commercial rollout.