Study of 149 Stakeholders in Jiangsu Finds Divergent Views on Urban Air Mobility Adoption in China
Why It MattersThe findings suggest UAM scalability in China hinges more on stakeholder coordination and governance clarity than on technological readiness alone.
A study published in npj Sustainable Mobility and Transport (volume 3, article 61, 2026) surveyed 149 stakeholders in Jiangsu Province, China, to examine perceptions of Urban Air Mobility, defined as passenger-oriented electric vertical take-off and landing services such as air taxis operating within urban or peri-urban low-altitude transport systems. Using a PESTLE-based survey analysed through K-modes clustering and exploratory factor analysis, the researchers identified four attitudinal profiles: proactive supporters, highly cautious stakeholders, policy-trusting stakeholders, and technologically neutral stakeholders, alongside limited baseline familiarity with UAM and substantial heterogeneity in perceived drivers and barriers across groups.
Factor analysis revealed four underlying dimensions shaping stakeholder views: technological performance and system safety; policy guidance and economic incentives; public acceptance and market awareness; and environmental sustainability. Governance actors placed greater emphasis on policy support, while technical stakeholders expressed stronger concerns about implementation.
The study drew on an ecosystem-oriented framework integrating socio-technical transition theory, innovation ecosystem theory, and a flying electric Mobility-as-a-Service perspective. The authors concluded that scalable UAM deployment in China requires predictable governance, transparent safety assurance, evidence-based decision support, and user-centred service integration, and that stakeholder coordination is a more critical determinant of adoption than technology readiness alone.
