Australia will co-operate with Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the USA to set uniform certification standards for advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft in a roadmap document published today.
AAM is an emerging industry that will use electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft as air taxis in metropolitan and major regional centres around the world.
According to CASA, the roadmap "aims to ensure safety, foster collaboration, promote technological innovation, and streamline the certification and validation process for new aircraft types across international boundaries."
Current aircraft certification processes require a new type to be certified in the country of manufacture against an international standard against which other National Aviation Authorities then validate the design.
Representatives from CASA, Transport Canada, NZ CAA, UK CAA and the FAA collaborated in developing the roadmap, but it is thought more nations could be added to the agreement over time. Collectively, the group is known as the National Aviation Authorities Network.
"For operators, the Roadmap aims to reduce the certification burden once the AAM aircraft has received a type certificate and allow them faster entry to multiple countries through harmonised airworthiness standards and focused validation activities," said CASA CEO and Director of Aviation Safety Pip Spence.
"By working together, we can ensure that the introduction of AAM aircraft is both safe and efficient, paving the way for the future of urban mobility.
"Australia is excited to have been involved in this initiative, which is not only a world-first but will also help make urban and advanced air mobility a reality."
CASA says that differences in eVTOL certification standards were emerging around the world, which prompted a working group from the five nations to develop the roadmap to acknowledges the differences and provide a framework to harmonise standards.
Currently there are no eVTOLs certified for AAM under any of the five nations, although US company Joby Aviation completed the first crewed transitional flights in April this year, and Australian company AMSL Aero is expecting civil certification of their long-range Vertiia by 2030.
CASA last week opened consultation on guidelines for vertical flight at airports in anticipation that the first eVTOLs introduced in the AAM role will operate from airports rather than dedicated skyports.