#105 Ben Ivers, Boeing: Airspace modernization

In this episode, we sit down with Ben Ivers (Boeing’s Director of Emerging Technologies & Regulatory Strategy) to unpack a deceptively simple idea: airspace modernization isn’t optional anymore and the tech to enable “automated flight rules” (AFR) is largely ready today. Ben argues the hard part isn’t the technology, but introducing a new flight mode alongside VFR and IFR that can scale drones, eVTOLs, and future autonomous operations without turning the sky into sanitized corridors reserved for “new entrants.” He explains why Boeing is forced to think in decades and why action now matters if modernization isn’t to remain perpetually out of reach. We get practical on what AFR actually means: less “AI making decisions,” more machine-guided coordination built on trusted data exchange and automated conflict management. Ben connects AFR to UTM/U-space (“crawl, walk, run”), walks through “before vs after” scenarios across GA, airlines, drones, and urban air mobility, and pinpoints the real bottlenecks, i.e. reliable communications, latency, surveillance, micro-weather, and certified digital services. We close on where value may accrue in a digitized airspace: new third-party services, higher throughput, and an “additive” roadmap that grows the aviation ecosystem rather than excluding parts of it. Thanks to our sponsors uAvionix Corporation and SkyGrid for supporting the episode! 03:10 Automated Flight Rules Are Ready Now 07:41 Role at Boeing and Industry Insights 17:55 Biggest Misconceptions Around Autonomous Flight Rules 20:52 AFR Summarized 23:58 Difference Between AFR and UTM 32:18 The Before And After of AFR 36:39 The Future of Air Travel: Reducing Commute Times 37:21 AFR Success Metrics 38:36 SkyGrid sponsor segment 44:36 Economic Opportunities in Digitized Airspace 49:31 Challenges and Future of Automated Flight Rules 54:12 Boeing's Obligation To Look To The Future