NASA Completes 5G Tests for Future Air Taxi Systems

On July 23, 2025, NASA announced the completion of flight tests at Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio.

The tests, conducted in April and May 2025, explored using 5G cellular networks to support connectivity for future air taxi operations.

The project is part of NASA’s Advanced Air Mobility mission, specifically the Air Mobility Pathfinders program, which focuses on developing scalable infrastructure for urban air transport.

Casey Bakula, lead researcher at NASA’s Glenn Research Center, said: "The findings of this work could serve as a blueprint for future aviation communication network providers, like satellite navigation providers and telecommunications companies, and help guide the Federal Aviation Administration’s plan for future advanced air mobility network requirements in cities."

NASA installed 5G radios in the aircraft and on building rooftops to monitor performance over varied trajectories.

A key challenge identified during testing was propeller modulation, where rotating blades intermittently disrupt signal reception. Since air taxis use multiple propellers at low altitude, this remains a critical issue to resolve.

Cover photo by Andrew Palmer on Unsplash