The joint work of regulators, local entities, manufacturers, operators, researchers and engineering consultants with clear and aligned objectives is essential to make AAM a reality in the short term.
Advanced Air Mobility is imminent in some urban environments, although these are experiences aimed at consolidating knowledge about the reality of this new mode of transport, as well as a strong promotional conditioning factor for the brands involved. In any case, there is no doubt that in a relatively short period of time it will be a reality in many metropolitan areas and will be a means with which we will have to live naturally.
As we have already commented in the previous post (click here), the implementation of MEA requires a major effort in planning, design and infrastructure development, in addition to other collateral considerations.
The AAM revolution hinges on three technological strands: VTOL aircraft, airspace organisation and navigation, and infrastructures.. We are currently working to provide solutions to the needs outlined above in all these areas. But without going into the first two here, we are looking in depth at the key aspects to be developed in infrastructure.
The development of the physical network:
The aim is to develop a dense physical network of AAM infrastructures to facilitate user access and support for VTOLs. The easier the access for users, the more successful this mode of transport will be.
The key issues in the network will be:
- Plan, design and build cost-efficient vertiports.
- Working together with authorities and operators local transport networks to overcome space constraints, and to find suitable locations for landfills close to potential users, with easy accessibility and generating new urban spaces.
- Establish partnerships with landowners and property owners to achieve the necessary surfaces.
- Accommodate the electrical network for power demand for recharging.
- Creating a network of complementary verti-services to landfills is key to support MEA operations (cargo, contingency landing, maintenance), especially in densely built-up urban areas or areas with high land costs.
Vertiport technology:
Vertiports will be much more complex than today's heliports. In many respects, the design of air/ground interfaces will have to respond to the needs of aircraft, users and the traffic management system.
The key aspects in relation to technology will be:
- Physical accessibility and integration with other mobility systems.
- Use of efficient building technology and to allow for the extension and/or relocation of landfills. The possibility of being transportable, flexible and scalable will allow them to be easily adapted to the demand at any given time.
- Securing energy supply of the infrastructure. If possible, aim for energy self-sufficiency of the infrastructure, with future sustainable generation and on-site energy storage.
- Aerodynamic design of the port around take-off, landing and manoeuvring surfaces to avoid problems of turbulence generated by VTOLs.
- Enable the real-time communication of port status and resource management to the AAM network. (communicating this information to the flight operators and the traffic management system), with the necessary sensors and system architecture. The system architecture should be robust and avoid (cyber-)security risks.
- Provision of meteorological services advanced technologies that are reliable and accurate.
- Automation and/or remote control The aim is to make the passenger and cargo handling processes user-friendly and to provide for an adequate response to sensitive issues (security controls and fire detection and suppression).
- Agnostic vertiportsThe aim is to provide spaces and technology that are not limited to covering the standards of only one type of aircraft, but provide spaces and technology that are compatible with a variety of VTOLs.
Regulation and standards associated with landfills:
The stakeholders AAM must work together not only to overcome the technological challenges of this new mode of transport, but also to removing some regulatory requirements imposed from traditional aviation that represent obstacles to intermodal integration. The aim is to make the AAM one more possibility among the intermodal transport mix that people can use every day.
The key issues in relation to regulation are:
- The standard for landfills should be homogeneous at the international level. It is a particularly interesting example that the vertical obstacle limitation surfaces and volumes suggested by EASA are taken as standard, which would allow the location of landfills in dense urban environments.
- Enable the implementation of automated security controls based on video surveillance, biometrics, dual verification and pre-identification.
- Use of automated fire detection and suppression systems with remote monitoring.
- Establishment of an airspace (through corridors) with rules that allow the realisation of high frequency of operations in vertiports and the safe coexistence of all types of air trafficand respect the comfort and privacy of citizens.
Acceptance of AAM by the community.
In many ways, the above aspects are conducive to efficient and safe operationThe Commission has already taken into account some of the demands expressed by society.
However, even if they are not technically essential for the MEA ecosystem to operate, there are issues that all stakeholders need to consider carefully, as these are the ones that will ensure success.
Key aspects related to community acceptance are:
- Creating attractive spaces in vertiports and provide an excellent user experience.
- Maintain the noise level below the acceptable threshold by local communities. Consider the use of soundproof fencing and paving to reduce the noise level around landfills, especially in residential areas.
- Employment of measures to mitigate collision and impact risks with the local fauna.
- Deploy pilot programmes that demonstrate safety and low noise levels, and publicise them.
- Making the environmental benefits of MEA visible. It is worth highlighting aspects such as lower carbon dioxide emissions, or the avoidance of the expansion of linear infrastructures that change the landscape, and whose construction implies serious effects on the environment.
A number of initiatives are already underway in various parts of the world to address the development of MEA-oriented infrastructures. Some of them seem to be oriented towards serving the models from a single manufacturer (Skyports with Volocopter or Ferrovial with Lilium are two examples). Although these projects will provide vital data on processes and operations, we believe that popularisation will take place where there are different operators and competition. In fact, it is certain that, in European and North American markets with developed antitrust regulations, the existence of separate entities for aircraft, airspace and infrastructure operations.
Some of the most ambitious projects have very short-term goals. For example, as early as 2024, there is a proposal to offer air taxi services during the Olympic Games in Paris. By the same date, there is also a proposal to start passenger operations in a regulated and operational airspace in Germany.
From the above it can be concluded that it is essential that regulators, local authorities, manufacturers, operators, researchers and engineering consultants work together with clear and aligned objectives. Only in this way will AAM become part of our society.
Leer primera parte de este post: Las infraestructuras en la Movilidad Aérea Avanzada
