Where Advanced Air Mobility Moves from Vision to Deployment: The 2026 LIFT Summit

Mar 18

As advanced air mobility transitions from innovation to early deployment, the need for alignment across policy, infrastructure, workforce, and investment is critical. The 2026 LIFT Summit, taking place March 31–April 1 in Monterey, California, is designed to convene the leaders actively building this future, and to accelerate the connections required to move opportunities forward.

Hosted by DART, a California-based nonprofit advancing workforce, infrastructure, and cross-sector collaboration, the LIFT Summit is not a traditional conference, it is a working convening of industry, government, education and community partners focused on implementation. From airspace integration to vertiport development, public-private partnerships, and workforce pathways, LIFT brings together the ecosystem to enable deployment.

Set in the Monterey Bay region, an emerging hub for advanced aviation, the Summit combines strategic dialogue with real-world context. Attendees engage directly with the people, projects, and partnerships shaping how these technologies are integrated into transportation systems, communities, and our economy.

Whether you are advancing policy, developing infrastructure, building technology, or preparing the workforce, LIFT provides a unique environment to align efforts, surface opportunities, and build the relationships that make deployment possible.

With the Summit just weeks away, now is the time to secure your spot. Don’t miss your chance to be part of the experience.

Register here and receive a $100 discount through Santa Cruz Works.

Stay connected with DART to receive the latest announcements, speaker updates, industry insights, and future opportunities related to the LIFT Summit and the growing low-altitude economy. Sign-up for our newsletter.

Catalyzing Coastal Innovation: The Monterey Bay Tech Hub’s Vision for Advanced Air Mobility — A broader look at how the Monterey Bay region is building momentum around advanced air mobility, infrastructure, and job creation.
Joby Says U.S. Air Taxi Operations Could Begin in 2026 Under White House Program — SCW’s recent coverage of Joby’s next step toward early U.S. air taxi operations and what it signals for the region.
US Representatives Pass Advanced Air Mobility Bill — Policy context on the infrastructure and planning needed to support deployment of advanced air mobility technologies.
Joby Lifts Off, and Santa Cruz Looks Up — A local lens on how Santa Cruz continues to be part of the larger advanced aviation story.
MBEP Secures Nearly $7.5 Million to Develop California’s Advanced Air Mobility Ecosystem — Coverage of major regional funding aimed at expanding advanced air mobility infrastructure, workforce development, and innovation pipelines on the Central Coast.