Happy Sunday friends,
Last week, I shared a post about The Aerial Economy.
I haven’t heard anyone coin the term — so I’m thrilled to plant the flag.
Here’s how I see it:
The Aerial Economy is the next chapter of human mobility — a world where air travel, automation, and autonomy converge to reshape how we move, connect, and live.
Technology has advanced to the point where communication is instant, and information is abundant.
We’ve mastered the movement of bits and bytes.
But the movement of atoms — people, goods, and energy — is still limited.
We sit in traffic.
We wait in lines.
Meanwhile, the sky above remains mostly empty.
That said - before we can take flight, we must master autonomy on the ground.
Autonomous systems — cars, logistics networks, traffic management - create the digital scaffolding that will one day support flight en masse.
If machines fail to navigate safely on streets, it will be improbable to coordinate safely in the air.
Ground-based autonomy is the essential first step towards The Aerial Economy.
Transportation has always been the fuel to prosperity.
The steam engine connected cities.
The automobile connected households.
The airplane connected continents.
Each breakthrough created a new layer of economic growth — I suspect autonomy will do the same.
Distance will deteriorate as productivity accelerates. It’s a potent pair to move and connect people like never before.
Tesla appears in pole position to solve this global problem. Waymo isn’t far behind, though scale may pose issues. And dozens of others race to claim their stake.
The question is — is autonomy winner-take-all? Place your bets…
Disclosure: This is not financial advice.
