AUSTIN, TX – Morning commutes by air taxi, supersonic business travel between continents, and an emerging market for space-based research and manufacturing in 2050. This is the future of flight, according to a new study from the Aerospace Industries Association and McKinsey & Co.

The report compiles a possible future of aerospace and related industry innovations over the next 30 years.

“For the last 100 years, the American aerospace and defense industry has shaped the world around us, and AIA has worked alongside our members to enable those remarkable achievements,” said AIA president and CEO Eric Fanning. “Developing Vision 2050 to mark our Centennial is the next logical step in that progression. This report doesn’t just look at the next thirty years; it sets the stage for the next hundred years of American leadership.”

“What’s Next for Aerospace and Defense: A Vision for 2050” is built on interviews with more than 70 industry leaders and finds the aerospace and defense industry will continue to be the driving force behind the way the world moves, connects, explores and inspires.

These experts see a world shaped by the convenience of urban air mobility and widely available autonomous drone delivery, the speed of supersonic air travel, and the promise of emerging markets for resource extraction and manufacturing in space – all underpinned by AI and more rigorous, self-evolving, and proactive cybersecurity defenses.

“American leadership in technology and innovation can’t be taken for granted,” Fanning said. “We must work together today to build a better tomorrow. Our industry is proud of what we’ve achieved so far, but that’s only the beginning. We hope this report will help inspire actions to strengthen American leadership in aerospace and ensure a better future for all.”

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