Hierarchical AI System for Advanced Air Mobility Regulatory Gap Analysis

MSBAI proposes a hierarchical AI system, MBE-GURU, to transform regulatory gap analysis for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) vehicles. This innovation uses a three-tier agent architecture—planning, grounding, and control—to systematically identify, analyze, and prioritize gaps in existing airspace regulations (e.g., 14 CFR Parts 23, 25, 27) for novel AAM designs like eVTOLs and hybrid-electric aircraft. Unlike traditional expert-driven methods, MBE-GURU leverages graph-based knowledge representation and dynamic adaptation to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and scalability. Phase I funding will develop a prototype, advancing from TRL 2 to 4 over 13 months, by creating a regulatory knowledge graph, integrating with NASA’s AAM tools, and validating use cases. This supports NASA’s Model-Based Enterprise (MBE) goals for agile decision-making in mission and programmatic development. Target markets include aircraft manufacturers needing certification clarity, regulatory agencies evolving standards, and standards organizations like SAE and ASTM. By reducing analysis time by 70% and enabling adaptive gap prioritization, MBE-GURU accelerates AAM deployment while ensuring safety and compliance, positioning it for broad aerospace adoption. MSBAI’s MBE-GURU, a hierarchical AI system, revolutionizes regulatory gap analysis for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) vehicles, critical for safe, swift integration into airspace. Unlike slow, expert-driven methods, it promises a 70% reduction in analysis time, delivering comprehensive, adaptable gap identification for novel designs like eVTOLs. Current state-of-the-art (SOA), such as Georgia Tech’s SysML framework, lacks scalability and dynamic updates, while MBE-GURU’s graph-based AI and three-tier agents (planning, grounding, control) identify 90%+ of expert-found gaps plus new ones, with explainable outputs. The problem—regulatory lag stifling AAM innovation—affects NASA, manufacturers, and regulators. MBE-GURU’s quantitative edge (e.g., 50% faster gap prioritization, 85% agent accuracy) bridges this gap, enabling safer, faster AAM deployment for all stakeholders.

MBE-GURU directly supports NASA’s mission directives by enhancing the Model-Based Enterprise (MBE) framework under the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate. It addresses the T11.05 subtopic by providing an integrated environment to assess regulatory gaps for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) vehicles, enabling efficient certification and adoption. For NASA’s Revolutionary Aviation Mobility Portfolio, MBE-GURU integrates with tools like OpenVSP and NDARC, streamlining vehicle design and airspace operation analysis. It reduces regulatory analysis time by 70%, supporting agile decision-making for complex missions, such as urban air mobility and electrified aircraft development (e.g., EPFD program). The system’s dynamic adaptation ensures NASA stays ahead of evolving standards, while its knowledge preservation builds an institutional base for future missions. Beyond aeronautics, MBE-GURU’s scalable AI can optimize supply chain agreements and institutional activities across all Mission Directorates, enhancing efficiency in spaceflight development and international collaborations. By prioritizing safety-critical gaps, it aligns with NASA’s focus on low-risk, transformative aviation solutions, accelerating AAM integration into national airspace. MBE-GURU offers significant commercialization potential in the $9.1B Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) market by 2030, driven by 250+ companies developing eVTOLs and hybrid-electric aircraft. Primary markets include aircraft manufacturers (e.g., Joby, Archer), who can use MBE-GURU to identify regulatory gaps early, reducing certification risks and costs—late-stage redesigns can cost 50-200 times more than early adjustments. Regulatory agencies like the FAA and EASA can leverage it to prioritize policy updates, while standards organizations (ASTM, SAE) can pinpoint standardization needs. Secondary markets include engineering firms enhancing certification services, investment firms assessing AAM risks, and insurers evaluating compliance. MSBAI’s go-to-market strategy starts with strategic partner pilots, followed by a cloud-based SaaS model with freemium access and paid tiers, targeting $5M annual revenue by year 3. Customizable APIs will integrate with design tools, expanding to international frameworks. By streamlining regulatory processes, MBE-GURU accelerates market entry, reduces development risks, and fosters innovation, positioning it as a critical tool in the growing AAM ecosystem.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.