The aeronautics industry is building on the advances made since the early 20th century taking us further, faster, safer, and cleaner. In the next 5–10 years, many new capabilities will be introduced, and the next generation will experience flight in ways we are just imagining. AIAA advances these opportunities for novel aircraft design, operations, and impact through its focus on the Aeronautics Domain.
Aviation Policy Platform Paper
15 April 2025
As the first country to prove that aviation is possible, the United States has led the world in advancing aeronautics technology and providing opportunities for all to take advantage of civil and commercial air transportation to improve their lives. Aviation positively and meaningfully impacts American lives every day through professional travel, package and cargo delivery, and tourism. In industries as varied as agriculture, infrastructure testing, firefighting, and medicine, aerial processes assist in maintaining the safety of operators and the communities they serve. For decades, the United States has held a competitive edge in emerging aeronautics technology. However, maintaining this leadership position in aeronautics technology development and operations on a global scale will require policy and regulatory action.
Key Topics
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Advanced Air Mobility Advanced air mobility could grow into a $115 billion industry that gives all of us new transportation options. With clear operational guidelines, regulations, and standards for accommodating and incorporating autonomy, we see a thriving integrated urban and regional airspace in the next decade. The benefits of autonomy will enhance safety for everyone and enable capabilities we are only just imagining.
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Carbon Emissions and Sustainability The global community is focused on achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from the aviation sector by 2050. The AIAA community plays an integral role in this effort that will make a substantial difference to benefit our planet.
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Certification The widespread use of UAVs and drones—both commercial and recreational—prompted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to adapt its certification processes. Similarly, the FAA must facilitate safe use of AAM systems for passenger and cargo transport. As the FAA refreshes its certification strategy, we expect to see clear specifications, regulations, and standards emerge that will strike an appropriate balance between safety and innovation.
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High-Speed Flight High-speed “transportation” – both military and civilian – is fast becoming a reality. Integrating hypersonic and supersonic flight into the national and global airspace will require attention to operational efficiency, safety through certification, and environmental and societal impacts including noise and emissions. AIAA will address questions around:
- Is sustainable civil high-speed endo-atmospheric flight achievable?
- What role does the government have in promoting hypersonic and/or supersonic flight?
- What technologies are needed to develop and mature efficient and low environmental impact hypersonic and supersonic flight?
AIAA Related Content
EVENTS
COURSES
NEWS
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AIAA Technologies Transforming Aerospace Webinar
2 March 2026 12:00 pm - 2 March 2026 1:00 pm
Online
Join us as Carissa Christensen, CEO of BryceTech, takes a deeper dive into the ten technologies outlined in the “Technologies Transforming Aerospace,” report.
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2026 IEEE Aerospace Conference
7 March 2026 12:00 am - 14 March 2026 12:00 am
The International Conference for Aerospace Experts, Academics, Military Personnel, and Industry Leaders. The 2025 conference will be the 46th and is set for 1–8 March 2025.
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East Coast Space Settlement Design Competition
7 March 2026 7:30 am - 7 March 2026 9:00 pm
2026 East Coast Space Settlement Design Competition High School students join 25-person teams that function as mock aerospace companies.
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Mary Jackson Lecture: A Wondering Fluid Mechanics Scientific Career
9 March 2026 12:00 pm - 9 March 2026 1:00 pm
Online
In this seminar, Ivett Leyva, Ph.D., P.E. will describe her remarkable career journey, which has led her to study various fluid mechanics problems, as well as the challenges and rewards of holding management and leadership positions.
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Robert Goddard: First Launch Centennial
16 March 2026 12:00 am - 16 March 2026 12:00 am
Thousands of adults and young people (students, parents, engineers, technical professionals, and more) will celebrate the centennial of Robert Goddard’s first successful liquid-fueled rocket launch on 16 March 1926. To acknowledge the pivotal role that both Robert and his wife, Esther, played in shaping our modern world, AIAA is working with dozens of aeronautic, rocketry,
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AIAA DEFENSE Forum 2026
17 March 2026 12:00 am - 19 March 2026 12:00 am
The AIAA Defense and Security Forum (AIAA DEFENSE Forum) is a Secret/NOFORN event providing a venue for leaders from government, military, industry, and academia to advance and accelerate modernization, informed by Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering’s priorities.
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2026 Region VI Student Conference
21 March 2026 12:00 am - 22 March 2026 12:00 am
AIAA is pleased to announce that the Region VI Student Conference will be held from 21-22 March 2026 at California Polytechnic University San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, CA.
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2026 Region II Student Conference
26 March 2026 12:00 am - 27 March 2026 12:00 am
AIAA is pleased to announce that the Region II Student Conference will be held from 26-27 March 2026 at the University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC.
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Advanced Flight Dynamics and Control of Aircraft, Missiles, and Hypersonic Vehicles
This course will briefly review the fundamentals of flight dynamic modeling and control It will present a variety of flight control design examples to enhance the learning experience. They include Boeing 737 Max aircraft’s MCAS (Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System); SAS (Stability Augmentation Systems) of various aircraft; bank-to-turn versus skid-to-turn (yaw-to-turn) of missiles; classical three-loop autopilot
Open for registration. Register Now
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Applied Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)
Instructed by Teaching Science and Technology Inc. (TSTI) Includes a complete set of course notes, and free trial licenses for courseware All students will receive an AIAA Certificate of Completion at the end of the course
Open for registration. Register Now
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Aircraft Reliability & Reliability Centered Maintenance
Access to training materials will be provided; classes will not be recorded All students will receive an AIAA Certificate of Completion at the end of the course
Open for registration. Register Now
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Guidelines for the Development of Civil Aircraft & Systems
Access to training materials will be provided; classes will not be recorded All students will receive an AIAA Certificate of Completion at the end of the course
Open for registration. Register Now
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Vibration of Periodic Structures in Aerospace Engineering
This course is applicable to the practice of vibration, flutter, and structural-acoustic analysis of stiffened structures, used in aerospace engineering and design. All students will receive an AIAA Certificate of Completion at the end of the course.
Open for registration. Register Now
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Hypersonic Propulsion Concepts: Design, Control, Operation, and Testing
AIAA’s essential course on Hypersonic Propulsion is taught by the institute’s world-leading experts from Industry, Government, and Academia. All students will receive an AIAA Certificate of Completion at the end of the course.
Open for registration. Register Now
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Flight Test Techniques for UAS – Online Short Course (Starts 4 May 2026)
4 May 2026 - 1 June 2026
This unique course on Flight Testing specific to UAS provides participants with overview, objectives, theory, techniques, software, and analysis methods for development, qualification, and acceptance tests of UAS.
Open for registration. Register Now
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Fundamentals of High Speed Air-Breathing and Space Propulsion
This online course provides an overview of a range of propulsion technologies. All students will receive an AIAA Certificate of Completion at the end of the course.
Open for registration. Register Now
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AIAA Bids to Bring the World’s Premier Space Event to the United States in 2029
25 February 2026
AIAA has submitted a bid to host the 80th International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2029) in Houston, Texas, 1-5 October 2029.
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AIAA Identifies Top Technologies Transforming Aerospace
18 February 2026
Ten technologies will fundamentally reshape aerospace operations, manufacturing, and services over the next two decades…
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AIAA Strengthens International Engagement
27 January 2026
AIAA convened an international gathering on Monday at the Palace Asinari di San Marzano, the headquarters of Italian…
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AIAA Announces New Student Branches
26 January 2026
AIAA is pleased to announce it has provisionally chartered five new student branches at the AIAA Council of Directors meeting during AIAA SciTech Forum…
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Astronaut Peggy Whitson to Open AIAA SciTech Forum 2026
9 January 2026
She joins a distinguished lineup of speakers from industry, government, and academia. These visionaries will take the stage…
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Aerospace America Opens the Year with its January–March Issue
8 January 2026
After a landmark year for aerospace, 2026 is shaping up to be even more pivotal. In the first print issue of the year, Aerospace America explores…
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AIAA Publishes 2025 Year in Review Special Report
7 January 2026
AIAA has released a special roundup of the year’s biggest aerospace achievements and milestones, authored by AIAA’s technical and…
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AIAA Mid-Atlantic Section Conference Brings Students and Professionals Together
6 January 2026
On 21 November, the AIAA Mid-Atlantic Section held its annual Young Professionals, Students, and Educators Conference at JHUAPL. The conference…
