First Responder Disaster Emergency Program (FRDEP)AAM air-taxi capacity, staged before the storm

Operators pledge Advanced Air Mobility aircraft and UAV cargo drones for non-clinical ambulatory evacuation and logistics resupply. FEMA, State EOC, and National Guard / DSCA coordinators — agencies that share one mission when disaster strikes — see network-wide capacity and task it from a live dispatch board the moment a valid emergency declaration is in place.

Non-clinical scope

Surge air-taxi support is limited to non-clinical ambulatory evacuation and cargo logistics. AAM aircraft and UAV drones are not certified for clinical patient care in flight. Activation requires a valid emergency declaration.

Pre-staged capacity

Capacity is registered before disaster strikes, so responders start from a known roster instead of cold-calling operators mid-crisis.

Ambulatory evacuation

Move non-critical, ambulatory passengers out of harm’s way as seated evacuees — the crewed-aircraft mission AAM air taxis can support today.

UAV drone logistics

BVLOS-authorized cargo drones move blood products, medical supplies, and time-critical cargo into cut-off areas — no runway, no crew exposure.

Built for the EOC

A single command view of pledged fleet, readiness, and a live dispatch board that tasks crewed aircraft and drones through every sortie.

How the surge program works

A preparedness-first workflow that turns a scattered set of operators into a coordinated, ready-to-task evacuation network.

Operators enroll & pledge

Approved AAM operators enroll their agency, then pledge specific aircraft with passenger-seat counts, readiness, and staging bases — building a standing pool of evacuation capacity.

EOC reviews & approves

FEMA / State emergency-management coordinators review each enrollment and approve operators into the network, so the roster reflects real, vetted capacity.

Declare on a real event

When a disaster strikes, a coordinator declares a surge event. Activation is gated on a valid FEMA / EOC declaration reference — no live surge without a real declaration.

Call up ready aircraft

Coordinators call up pledged aircraft to the active event. Operators accept or decline, and the EOC deploys and later releases each tail number with a full audit trail.

One mission, many agencies

When a catastrophe overwhelms local resources, FEMA, State Emergency Operations Centers, and the National Guard under Defense Support of Civil Authorities all answer the same call. FRDEP gives them one shared board so their air capacity works as a single effort — not three disconnected ones.

Pooled air capacity

Pledged aircraft and UAV cargo drones from every enrolled operator show up in one place, so coordinators can task the nearest ready asset regardless of which agency or company it belongs to.

Balanced distribution

Evacuees and relief supplies are spread across multiple receiving sites by distance and available capacity, so no single shelter, staging area, or facility is overwhelmed while others sit empty.

Declaration-gated

Capacity can only be tasked once a valid emergency declaration is in place, keeping every mission within a clear chain of authority across the participating agencies.

FRDEP coordinates non-clinical ambulatory evacuation and logistics resupply only. It does not direct clinical care or replace medical control — it makes the air movement behind a multi-agency response fast, visible, and shared.

Ready before the next disaster

Enroll your agency to pledge air-taxi capacity, or connect your emergency-management team to the surge command view.