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Phoenix

AZ, US
#6 OF 25
LIVE·Data as of May 21, 2026·AIS · Methodology v1.3·Sources: FKB · MCS · OID · RPL · FPIS·Sourced from public records · Override audit trail available
65MODERATEManually reviewed · May 10, 2026
How is this scored? · See factor breakdown →Score history →
Dec '25Jan '26
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NEUTRALBURDEN: LOWBILLS MOVINGWX PARTIALPILOT PROGRAM
SCORE BREAKDOWN
PILOT PROGRAM
15/15
VERTIPORT
0/15
OPERATORS
15/15
ZONING
15/15
REGULATORY
5/10
LEGISLATION
10/20
WEATHER
5/10
FACTOR TRENDS
Factor trend analysis is available on Professional.
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REGULATORY LANDSCAPEPosture + Burden · two parallel axes
PostureNEUTRALScoring · 10pts

Stance — how friendly state and municipal government posture is toward AAM infrastructure. Currently scored as a single weight in the AirIndex 7-factor model.

BurdenlowTracked · not yet scored

Joby Aviation autonomous-flight testing has proceeded in Arizona without documented state-level friction. State aviation regulations defer substantively to FAA. Initial assessment pending verification.

First-pass assessment · pending credentialed-advisor verification
Burden measures process friction — documents, reviews, public notices, and time-to-approve. A state can be posture-friendly AND burden-heavy simultaneously (e.g., Florida has enacted UAM legislation but requires a 13-document packet for heliport approval). Methodology.
OPERATOR PRESENCE
✓ Detected · classifier-validated· Mar 14, 2026 · high confidence
Joby announces autonomous flight technology testing in Arizona, confirming active operator presence in Phoenix market. — Joby Aviation testing autonomous flight technology in Arizona, indicating active operator presence in the Phoenix market.
No specific operator catalogued in the structured registry yet — the score reflects this signal.See full signal stream →Primary source ↗
VERTIPORT INFRASTRUCTURE
✓ Detected · classifier-validated· May 10, 2026 · high confidence
Arizona SB1819 on vertiport design and zoning passed Senate consent calendar, affecting vertiport zoning in Arizona markets. — Arizona SB1819 addresses vertiports design and zoning, indicating state-level zoning legislation for vertiport construction.
No specific vertiport catalogued in the structured registry yet — the score reflects this signal.See full signal stream →Primary source ↗
AIR CORRIDORS
No specific corridor has been catalogued for this market yet.
See pipeline signals for this market →
KEY MILESTONES
▶Joby autonomous flight testing in Arizona (2026)
▶AZ SB1827 Office of AAM FAILED 6-12 in House Appropriations (Mar 31, 2026)
▶AZ SB1826 AAM appropriation withdrawn in House Appropriations (Mar 25, 2026)
▶AZ SB1819 Vertiport zoning stalled on Senate consent calendar
▶Chandler/Tempe drone testing activity
MARKET INTELLIGENCE

Arizona's three-bill AAM legislative package collapsed in House Appropriations in late March 2026. SB1827 (Office of Advanced Air Mobility) failed on a 6-12 vote on Mar 31; SB1826 (AAM appropriation) was withdrawn on Mar 25; SB1819 (Vertiports; design; zoning) remains technically alive on a Senate consent calendar but has shown no House movement since Mar 2. The `stateLegislationStatus: actively_moving` flag is under methodology review — SB1819's technical status preserves it for now, but a downgrade to `none` would drop Phoenix to 40 and a tier boundary. Joby Aviation continues autonomous flight technology testing in Arizona (2026) and Chandler/Tempe testing corridor activity persists, but operator presence does not compensate for the regulatory layer contracting.

ALERT SUBSCRIPTIONS
LAST UPDATED 2026-05-21← BACK TO MARKETS
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