The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) announced on February 28 that it is advancing its regulatory framework for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) in line with the policy direction of its Board of Commissioners, adopting a “Regulate First” approach to ensure comprehensive oversight before permitting commercial operations.
The brief statement follows a February 26 meeting between Air Chief Marshal Manat Chavanaprayoon, Director General of CAAT, and Koichi Miyazawa, Director General of the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB).
The discussion focused on the AAM regulatory framework across various dimensions, including standards for airworthiness, licensing and flight operational standards. CAAT and JCAB also discussed low-level airspace management strategies to ensure operational safety for AAM, while exploring the economic potential of the low-altitude economy.
Air Chief Marshal Manat also proposed for future collaborations and mutual support. The Key areas of interest included the development and enforcement of regulations, data exchange for personnel development, the sharing of technical expertise, and the establishment of low-level airspace management guidelines.
The CAAT Director General also held discussions on fostering cooperation, building public acceptance, and developing infrastructure for new aircraft take-off and landing systems, including vertiports, with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Skyports and Kanematsu Corporation.
The Japanese government has prioritised strengthening cooperation between the public and private sectors and JCAB has assigned personnel to support the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in piloting electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft operations. Test flight routes will initially focus on routes over water.
CAAT said that AAM operators and Japanese government agencies have expressed their intention to participate in the second Advanced Air Mobility 2026 event (AAM 2026), scheduled to take place from December 1–3, 2026, in Bangkok, Thailand.
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Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand
Image: CAAT