News
Taking Urban Air Mobility Noise Modeling and Analysis to New Heights
September 28, 2026
As new air taxis and delivery drones prepare to take to the skies, understanding and managing their acoustic impact on local communities is essential for safe, widespread integration. The U.S. DOT Volpe Center’s Environmental Modeling & Measurement team partnered with NASA Langley Research Center to evaluate how FAA's Aviation Environmental Design Tool (AEDT) models noise from Urban Air Mobility (UAM) operations.
Breaking Down Barriers in Flight Data Exchange
September 24, 2026
When flight systems speak different languages, delays happen. For more than a decade, the U.S. DOT Volpe Center has partnered with FAA and international leaders to build FIXM—a global, standardized language for flight data exchange. Now, we’re piloting AI with SAVANT to test flight data schemas faster and keep our skies moving smoothly.
Using AI-Powered Camera Technology to Improve Grade Crossing Safety
September 1, 2026
With U.S. DOT SBIR funding, WiTronix developed AI-powered camera tech for FRA using locomotive video data to detect damaged crossing gates automatically and flag high-risk trespassing areas—helping keep communities safe.
Enhancing Motor Carrier Safety with Data Analysis and Reports Team Process Improvements
September 1, 2026
The U.S. DOT Volpe Center is helping FMCSA streamline how state partners and safety officials request critical crash and enforcement data. To make this process even smoother, our developers and data analysts recently helped upgrade the DART Data Requests online tool. By making custom safety reports easier to get, we’re helping leadership focus enforcement where it matters most: keeping unsafe commercial vehicles off the road.
Streamlining Environmental Permitting across U.S. DOT Modes
August 26, 2026
The U.S. DOT Volpe Center provides environmental review and permitting expertise, which aligns with recent Presidential Executive Orders to expedite the development of critical transportation and energy infrastructure while complying with statutory and regulatory requirements. The U.S. DOT Volpe Center provides support to standardize and accelerate environmental review and permitting processes across its work with agencies across U.S. DOT, including FHWA, FRA, FTA, FAA, NHTSA, and PHMSA.
Partnering with ARPA-I, the Advanced Research Projects Agency – Infrastructure, to Accelerate Transformative Technologies
August 24, 2026
U.S. DOT launched the Advanced Research Projects Agency - Infrastructure (ARPA-I) to fund the development of high-risk, high-reward, next-generation transportation technologies that will maintain America's position as a global leader in the sector. In August 2025, ARPA-I launched a new Ideas Challenge, the agency's open call to American innovators across the public and private sectors to help transform the future of transportation. The 2026 Ideas Challenge Finals Event is slated for September 2026.
Using Fully Autonomous Robots to Disinfect Public Transit Assets
August 19, 2026
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy recently identified improvements to public transportation public safety as a critical priority. Funding provided by FTA through U.S. DOT’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program allowed Advent Innovations to further develop its robotics technology to efficiently disinfect transit assets, improving public transportation sanitation processes to maintain a high level of public safety and slow disease transmission.
Advancing Noise Certification for a Competitive Advanced Air Mobility Future
August 14, 2026
In alignment with Transportation Secretary Duffy’s pilot program to safely connect rural communities, reduce road congestion, and enhance medical transport, the U.S. DOT Volpe Center is helping FAA pave the way for a quieter, safer airspace.
Enhanced Work Zone Data Exchange Program Improves Roadway Safety
July 29, 2026
Working with FHWA, the U.S. DOT Volpe Center’s Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) team is standardizing how road data is shared with navigation apps, helping drivers safely navigate active construction.
Advancing Electrified Flight Research for Subsonic Air Travel
July 20, 2026
The U.S. DOT Volpe Center’s analysts recently collaborated with NASA to evaluate the market viability of the Hybrid Electric Turboprop Commercial Freighter (HETCOF) concept—a key part of NASA’s vision for electrified aircraft propulsion in subsonic commercial flight.