Central New York’s years-long investment in airspace infrastructure, cargo operations, and FAA-accepted Beyond Visual Line of Sight capabilities positions Syracuse as a ready-now hub for the nation’s next generation of aviation

NUAIR and the Syracuse Regional Airport Authority (SRAA) today celebrated the selection of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) as one of eight projects nationwide chosen to participate in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s newly established Advanced Air Mobility and Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Integration Pilot Program (eIPP). Announced by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on March 9, 2026, the eIPP represents the federal government’s most ambitious step yet toward integrating next-generation electric aircraft into the national airspace system — and Syracuse is already at the center of it.

The PANYNJ selection encompasses 12 distinct operational concepts across New England, with Central New York serving as a critical operational hub. BETA Technologies — selected for seven of the eight eIPP projects nationwide and participating in the PANYNJ program alongside Archer, Electra, and Joby — has specifically identified upstate New York as a launch location for cargo and medical logistics missions. That work will be built on the FAA-accepted airspace infrastructure that NUAIR has already put in place across 1,900 square miles of Central New York.

A Foundation Years in the Making

While most airports are still in the early stages of understanding what Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) means for their operations, Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR) has been running authorized uncrewed aircraft flights in its airspace for years — all while managing 2.8 million passengers annually and coordinating operations with the 174th Attack Wing’s MQ-9 Reaper program based on the airfield.

SYR is the only commercial airport in North America that has fully integrated remotely piloted aircraft operating on its airfield with full use of runways, taxiways, and ramps. The MQ-9 Reaper — a large military aircraft that began operating fully independently, without chase aircraft, in 2019 with the 174th Attack Wing — means Syracuse’s control tower and airspace managers are already experienced handling remotely piloted aircraft alongside commercial traffic. That operational reality gave the FAA the confidence it needed to approve AAM infrastructure on the airport’s Master Plan, including three vertiport locations and a future short takeoff and landing (STOL) runway — designed to MQ-9 standards.

“We’re already about two to three years ahead because of the NUAIR Alliance, because of what’s going on with already having remotely piloted aircraft operating on the airport,” shared Jason Terreri, Executive Director, Syracuse Regional Airport Authority. “The FAA is already comfortable in this location.”

NUAIR’s role in building that foundation cannot be overstated. The organization’s surveillance infrastructure network — which received an FAA Letter of Acceptance in July 2025 — now covers 1,900 square miles of Central New York airspace, enabling beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations on a daily basis. With more than 6,000 flights already completed in controlled airspace, NUAIR’s network provides the proven digital foundation for AAM that commercial operators will rely upon to execute eIPP missions.

Cargo First: The Case for Upstate New York

The PANYNJ eIPP proposal — and the specific focus on upstate New York — aligns precisely with the strategic vision that SYR and NUAIR have been building toward. Rather than chasing urban scenarios, Central New York is focused on the regional use cases that represent the majority of what this technology can do for the country.

As airlines continue phasing out smaller regional aircraft, more rural communities across Upstate New York are increasingly disconnected from the national airspace system. UAS and AAM vehicles are compelling solutions, and this pilot program proves the value and opportunity. Today, carriers like UPS operate small twin-engine feeder aircraft from the North Country of New York — flying short runs of fewer than 100 miles to Syracuse. The economics and reliability of electric aircraft from manufacturers make those same routes not only viable, but superior: lower operating costs, quieter vehicles, and the elimination of road vibration that can compromise sensitive cargo.

That last point carries special significance in Central New York. Micron Technology is constructing a state-of-the-art semiconductor fabrication facility just nine miles north of the airport, where it will produce advanced AI chips. Discussions are already underway about using UAS or AAM vehicles to fly chips from the facility directly to SYR’s cargo apron — eliminating the road vibration that, as has been documented with similar facilities elsewhere, can result in significant product loss during ground transport.

Beyond semiconductor logistics, the program will explore medical delivery, disaster response, connections to remote Adirondack communities with limited road access, and eventually passenger operations. SYR’s Master Plan already identifies a potential international Advanced Air Mobility corridor between Syracuse and Quebec City — an opportunity to demonstrate that UAS and AAM operations can function seamlessly across an international border.

“You already have the airspace with the BVLOS capabilities of NUAIR, you have controllers that are already used to dealing with drones and Advanced Air Mobility,” said Terreri. “We are a great location to prove that this works beyond the Urban Air Mobility case — and really show what the majority of the country can do by taking advantage of UAS and AAM technology.”

A Blueprint the Nation Can Follow

The eIPP is specifically designed to generate scalable, replicable models for nationwide deployment. Central New York is uniquely positioned to deliver exactly that. SYR operates in complex, multi-layered airspace — Class C controlled airspace at the airport, surrounded by uncontrolled general aviation, active military operations areas, National Guard flight operations, and airspace extending to the Canadian border. It also offers something few test environments can: four full seasons, including the low ceilings, snow, ice, and cold temperatures that electric aircraft will need to prove they can handle before operating across the rest of the country.

The vertiport infrastructure already approved in SYR’s Master Plan was deliberately designed to keep AAM arrival and departure corridors fully deconflicted from conventional commercial traffic — and those same corridors directly align with the drone flight paths already in use under NUAIR’s BVLOS operations. The 50-mile corridor that formed NUAIR’s original operating area has since expanded into today’s 1,900-square-mile network. Aircraft launching from any of the airport’s vertiports will fly directly into that proven, FAA-accepted infrastructure on day one.

“The eIPP isn’t just a federal program — it’s a signal that the United States is serious about leading the world in Advanced Air Mobility, and Central New York is serious about leading the United States,” said Ken Stewart, President & CEO of NUAIR. “What we’ve built here with NUAIR’s airspace infrastructure and our partnership with Syracuse Hancock is a blueprint other communities will follow. Today, we get to put it to work.”