POLIS’ new UAM Taskforce brings together member cities, regions, and key stakeholders to explore the challenges and opportunities of integrating drones and other UAM technologies into urban environments. Following a successful showcase of member activities in 2023-2024, including a well-attended session at the Annual POLIS Conference 2024, the Taskforce is now refining its priorities for 2025.

2025: Objectives and workplan

The 2025 workplan builds on ongoing discussions around UAM regulation, governance, and operational integration. A key milestone will be the planned UAM Demo Day, taking place alongside the POLIS 2025 conference in November, with a dedicated session on UAM, provided enough abstracts are submitted. Helsinki has also proposed an additional online meeting in September to explore specific UAM use cases.

The workplan will continue evolving, incorporating new insights from cities and regions actively engaging in drone-related projects. A particular focus will be on impact assessment and criteria for UAM integration, ensuring that cities and regions have a clear framework for evaluating and managing drone operations.

Governance and policy challenges

One of the main challenges remains multilevel and multistakeholder governance. EU drone policies mandate national authorities to establish governance frameworks, but implementation varies significantly across countries. Cities often have limited influence over airspace regulations, despite the fact that drone operations primarily impact urban areas rather than the traditional airspace.

Richard Hermans, Strategic Policy Advisor on Aviation, from the Province of North Holland, which chairs the Taskforce, emphasises the need for regional and local governments to play an active role in shaping drone regulations. In the Netherlands, the Province is the competent authority to oversee small airports, but there is no clear policy yet for UAM integration within the physical environment. Similar concerns were raised by Antwerp, where authorities struggle to determine what role cities can play in guiding drone operations and mitigating their impact on residents.

Christina Suomi, Project Director, Helsinki U-space 2024-2026 from the City of Helsinki, explained how the city has taken a proactive approach, hiring aviation experts to build in-house capacity and engaging directly in national airspace reform through weekly interaction with national authorities. Rather than waiting for EU or national-level guidance, the city is leading discussions to define its own role in UAM governance. However, Finland’s recently released drone strategy remains largely industry-driven, with limited consideration for urban planning needs. This document should be entirely distinguished from the city’s efforts and related interaction with the national level.

Operational and regulatory considerations

The discussion also highlighted practical challenges in integrating drones into city environments. One major issue is the lack of clear regulations on landing sites. Many drones do not require dedicated infrastructure, but when they do, cities have little authority to regulate them—especially when operations take place on private property. In Dublin and other cities, drone operators can obtain civil aviation approval without engaging with local authorities, limiting cities' ability to monitor or control drone activities.

Several members stressed the need for better-defined impact assessment criteria, particularly for landing sites and airspace management in urban settings. A tool currently under development as part of the City-AM project aims to provide a map of potential landing sites, incorporating factors such as distance from sensitive locations (e.g., schools) and environmental impact.

Security concerns were another key topic, particularly regarding the use of drones for law enforcement and safety monitoring. Amsterdam has conducted ethical research on drone use, but many cities are still catching up in this area. In Antwerp for example, Lucas van den Elshout, Mobility Consultant from the City explained drones are already being used in the harbour for pollution monitoring and law enforcement, yet these operations fall outside municipal control.

Next steps

Moving forward, the Taskforce will focus on:

• Strengthening city and regional influence in UAM policymaking, particularly in defining legal mandates and governance roles;
• Developing clear impact assessment criteria for drone operations, including airspace management and landing site regulations;
• Enhancing coordination with national governments to ensure that city perspectives are considered in broader UAM policy discussions;
• Encouraging collaboration with the military sector, given its significant role and experience in airspace management.

The Taskforce will continue gathering insights from members, refining the workplan, and working toward practical solutions that ensure UAM integration aligns with urban mobility priorities, environmental concerns, and public acceptance.

If you have any questions or wish to join the UAM Taskforce, do not hesitate to contact Manon Coyne, Urban Air Mobility Taskforce Coordinator.