Six-county initiative highlights growing industry momentum, testing infrastructure, talent and innovation assets across California’s Central Coast
CENTRAL COAST, Calif. — Oct. 7, 2026 — California’s Central Coast is leading the nation in autonomous systems and advanced air mobility, with a six-county ecosystem built around market-leading companies, specialized talent, advanced manufacturing and real-world testing. More than 7,000 firms and 80,000 jobs span the region’s broader aerospace and autonomous systems value chain, creating a connected network designing, testing, manufacturing and advancing the next generation of aircraft and autonomous technologies.
A new regional prospectus, The Central Coast: Built to Prove What’s Next, brings together the region’s strengths across advanced aircraft, drones and uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS), autonomous technologies, advanced manufacturing, defense applications and related industries. It highlights the competitive advantage created by the concentration of companies, talent, research institutions, testing environments and infrastructure across the six-county region. The prospectus was released by Uplift Central Coast, convened by REACH, Monterey Bay Economic Partnership (MBEP) and Economic Development Collaborative (EDC).
Spanning San Benito, Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, three of the four leading U.S. electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) companies operate within the region – Archer Aviation, Joby Aviation and Wisk Aero – alongside leading uncrewed aerial systems, defense and autonomous technology companies. The region offers a broad network of real-world testing environments and infrastructure, including the Point Mugu Sea Range, Camp Roberts and Fort Hunter Liggett, Vandenberg Space Force Base, public airports and emerging advanced aircraft testing corridors.
Recent developments provide a snapshot of that momentum across the region. An aircraft equipped with Santa Cruz-based Joby Aviation’s autonomy technology just completed a historic 3,199-mile transcontinental journey, marking the first-ever fully autonomous flight across the United States. Wisk broke ground on a new vertiport at Hollister Municipal Airport to support testing of autonomous and piloted aircraft. Archer’s Midnight electric taxi, which utilizes Salinas as its test base, recently launched a “No Roads” flight tour to expand its city-to-city flight test program across the United States.
AeroVironment announced a $100 million investment in a new unified campus in Moorpark; and San Luis Obispo-based Trust Automation is expanding following a $490 million U.S. Air Force contract to deliver counter-uncrewed aircraft system technologies. Together, the developments reflect continued investment in testing, manufacturing, technology development and job growth across the Central Coast.
A key regional advantage is the Central Coast’s network of real-world testing environments and infrastructure, including rural airports in Watsonville, Marina, Salinas, and Hollister at the heart of the $7.45 million California Advanced Air Mobility Corridors Initiative (CAAMCI). Led by the Monterey Bay Economic Partnership (MBEP) and backed by a California Jobs First grant, CAAMCI is developing California’s first FAA-compliant, multi-airport flight network, closing essential infrastructure gaps for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and drone testing. Other assets include the Point Mugu Sea Range, Camp Roberts and Fort Hunter Liggett, and Vandenberg Space Force Base. The region also has a growing talent pipeline spanning K-12 programs, community colleges, apprenticeships and universities.
“This isn’t simply a projection about what the Central Coast could become,” said Tahra Goraya, President & CEO of Monterey Bay Economic Partnership. “There is significant activity happening across the region today with AAM leaders like Joby, Archer, and Wisk conducting flight testing and manufacturing. This prospectus allows us to connect those assets, tell that story at a regional scale and be more intentional about the partnerships and investments that can help the industry continue to grow and thrive.”
“The Central Coast already has an incredible foundation in this industry,” said Melissa James, President & CEO of REACH. “Companies here are designing and manufacturing new technologies, we have world-class engineering and research talent, and we have places where these systems can actually be tested and proven. When we connect those assets across the region, the scale of the opportunity becomes much clearer.”
Connecting a six-county ecosystem
The prospectus was unveiled during an October 7 virtual event, where industry and regional leaders shared updates on activity underway across the six-county region and opportunities ahead for autonomous systems and advanced air mobility.
Development of the prospectus is part of Uplift Central Coast’s broader work through California Jobs First to build on industries where the region has strong competitive advantages and opportunities to expand access to quality jobs. The state’s Economic Blueprint identified aerospace and defense as a priority sector, with more than $16 million invested in 2025 to support Advanced Aircraft-related talent, innovation and infrastructure investments on the Central Coast.
“Each part of the Central Coast brings something different to this ecosystem,” said Bruce Stenslie, President & CEO of Economic Development Collaborative. “The opportunity is in connecting those capabilities across county lines so companies can access a larger network of talent, infrastructure, testing assets and partners. That regional approach gives us a stronger platform for supporting innovation and attracting new investment.”
The prospectus is designed as a resource for companies, investors, policymakers, education and workforce partners, and communities seeking to better understand the Central Coast’s autonomous systems and advanced air mobility ecosystem and opportunities for continued growth.
VIEW THE CENTRAL COAST AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMS & ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY PROSPECTUS
About Monterey Bay Economic Partnership (MBEP): Monterey Bay Economic Partnership (MBEP) is a regional member-supported nonprofit organization consisting of public, private, and civic entities located throughout the counties of Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz. Founded in 2015, our mission is to improve the economic health and quality of life in the region.
About Uplift Central Coast: Uplift Central Coast is a six-county initiative convened by REACH, Monterey Bay Economic Partnership (MBEP) and Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) through California Jobs First. Uplift brings together industry, government, education, workforce and community partners to advance an inclusive and resilient economy across Santa Cruz, San Benito, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.