Advanced air mobility

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Advanced air mobility (AAM) are systems that incorporate support for next-generation transport such as remotely piloted, autonomous, or vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft.[1][2][3] This includes those powered by electric and/or hybrid-electric propulsion.[4]

AAM seeks to support unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and sustainable aircraft. This requires the development of physical infrastructure for vertiports as well as highly automated digital infrastructure, i.e. UAS traffic management (UTM).[5]

File:Volocopter at IAA 2017 1.jpg
Volocopter eVTOL aircraft

AAM combines both urban air mobility (UAM), which involves transporting persons and cargo above the traffic within a city and regional air mobility (RAM) which is focused more on connecting suburbs, villages and rural towns as well as islands or adjacent communities separated by mountainous regions.[6][7][8] UAM has attracted the majority of investment.[9] AAM expands upon the principles of UAM to applications beyond the urban environment:[10]

  • Intra-city air transport
  • Inter-city air transport
  • Cargo delivery
  • Public service
  • Private vehicles

In February 2020, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine expanded[3] the scope of the developing UAM concept beyond Manhattan use cases.[11] Since March 2020, UAM has been considered an element of AAM, as defined by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).[12] Four months later, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) formally adopted the term.[10]

According to a May 2021 market valuation by Morgan Stanley, AAM is projected to be worth 1 trillion (1,000,000,000,000) USD by 2040 and up to $9 trillion a decade later.[13] However, consulting firm Drone Industry Insights, which primarily focuses on the commercial drone market, offers a more conservative forecast of $20.8 billion by 2035, with a CAGR of 22.1%.[6]

History

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A video depiction of a passenger-carrying eVTOL concept aircraft dubbed Puffin was shared online on November 11, 2009 by NASA scientist Mark Moore.[14] Inspired by Moore’s papers Larry Page funded two eVTOL startups.[15][16]

In fall 2016, Uber launched project Elevate following a white paper co-authored by Jeff Holden, Nikhil Goel, and Mark Moore, to explore on-demand air transportation.[17] Three years later, Uber Copter services began in New York City using traditional helicopters.[18] Elevate envisioned a multimodal ride service. Annual Elevate summits hosted from 2017-2019 helped develop the eVTOL and UAM markets pursued by dozens of OEMS.[19][20]

In 2022 Volkswagen's Chinese subsidiary announced plans to build AAM aircraft in Beijing.[21]

Comparisons

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NASA acoustic testing concluded that eVTOLs are "vastly quieter than helicopters".[22] McKinsey aerospace expert Kersten Heineke noted that electric aircraft are "completely emission-free".[23] During the pandemic, the number and value of related investments grew markedly.[24]

Activities by country

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Australia

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In 2022, the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) set out its eVTOL roadmap.[25] Infrastructure group, Skyportz, has been selected to build Australia's first vertiport in Melbourne[26] by 2026.[27]

Brazil

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FlyBIS Aviation, a Brazilian start-up teamed with Eve Air Mobility, a division of Embraer.[28] In 2021, Eve signed a Memorandum of Understanding with EDP Group to share research for optimal charging techniques.[29] Eve Air Mobility ranks 7th on the 2022 AAM Reality Index.[30]

Canada

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Horizon Aircraft, based in Lindsay, Ontario has a large scale prototype in flight test.[31] Canadian simulation technology company CAE Inc. and Volocopter forged a strategic partnership to produce the world's first AAM pilot training curriculum.[32]

Construction was to begin in Dubai in 2023 by Canadian vertiport infrastructure group,VPorts, for an Advanced Air Mobility Integrator Center.[33] The center will facilitate eVTOL testing.[34]

China

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File:Drone Mavic Pro may2020.jpg
Chinese DJI Mavic Pro small UAS aka drone

In 2019, Chinese manufacturer EHang began extensive passenger flight testing with autonomous eVTOLs.[35][36] The Spanish National Academy of Police in Avila celebrated a successful public maiden flight of the 'EH216-S' by Chinese manufacturer EHang in December 2022, making Spain the first nation in the European Union to operate an eVTOL for public safety.[37]

France

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Groupe ADP is constructing 4 vertiport locations in Paris.[38][39] French multinational corporation Thales Group has agreed to integrate its custom avionics solution into the Eve Air Mobility flight deck.[40] French start-up Ascendance Flight Technologies ranked 15th on the 2022 AAM Reality Index.[30] Airbus Helicopters is developing a flying taxi, CityAirbus NextGen, targeted to begin service between 2026 and 2030. The 2024 Olympic Games presented an opportunity to showcase Volocopter eVTOL air taxi flights.[41]

Germany

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EVTOL manufacturers Volocopter and Lilium Jet, ranked 3rd and 4th in the world on the 2022 AAM Reality Index, respectively.[30] As of 2020 Lilium planned to build the first American vertiport outside the City of Orlando, Florida.[42][43]

Japan

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In Fall 2021, Honda announced plans to enter the hybrid eVTOL market.[44] Toyota switched its support from a Japanese start-up to Joby Aviation.[45]

The following year, SkyDrive secured a strategic partnership with Volatus Infrastructure to develop AAM vertiports.[46] Japan and the MassDOT Aeronautics Division are the only non-European governmental bodies to commit to AAM principles as UIC2 International City/Region Partners along with communities across 15 European nations.[47] In Summer 2022, Tokyo hosted the inaugural International Advanced Air Mobility Expo.[48] As part of World Expo 2025 in Osaka Japan plans to orchestrate nearly 30,000 eVTOL air taxi flights.[27]

South Korea

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Supernal, a division of Hyundai Motor Group ranks 9th on the 2022 AAM Reality Index.[30] American multinational corporation Honeywell agreed to integrate its Anthem avionics into the Supernal flight deck.[49]

Spain

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UAV manufacturer Umiles Next tested its prototype 'Integrity3' and demonstrated collision-avoidance systems as part of its U-space initiative.[50] According to the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), U-space includes "all the services required to ensure [UAVs] operate effectively, safely, and securely."[51] Spanish multinational corporation Ferrovial ranks 2nd in the world for AAM vertiport infrastructure readiness alongside Urban-Air Port in the UK and BETA in the US.[38]

MintAir Archived 2022-12-24 at the Wayback Machine along with American-Canadian firm Jaunt Air Mobility, signed a letter of intent to collaborate on air taxi development.[52]

Sweden

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Swedish start-up Heart Aerospace is developing a hybrid RAM aircraft, earning a 5.1 score in the AAM Reality Index.[30] United Airlines is both a customer and investor.[53]

Switzerland

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File:Ziteil, aerial video.webm
Aerial footage over Switzerland

Dufour Aerospace earned a 2022 AAM Reality Index score of 5.2 for its "Aero3" aircraft.[30]

United Kingdom

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Vertical Aerospace earned an AAM Reality Index score of 7.2, ranking 8th.[30] Virgin Atlantic along with Cranfield University and other industry and academic partners created the Advanced Mobility Ecosystem Consortium and earned a £9.5m grant by the UK's Future Flight Challenge.[54] According to the World Economic Forum, Air-One became the world's first operational vertiport when it opened in April 2022 in Coventry.[55]

United States

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In 2020, Joby Aviation acquired the rights to Uber's Elevate[56] and in August 2021, the company went public.[57] In 2022, Joby set a new eVTOL speed record,[58] had a prototype crash in rural California,[59] achieved an FAA Part 135 air service certification,[60] and signed Delta Air Lines as investor and strategic partner.[61] As of 2024, Joby tied with Beta Technologies and Volocopter with an industry leading AAM Reality Index score of 8.0,[62] followed by Archer Aviation (7.9), Wisk Aero (7.4), Pipistrel (7.2) among the top ten eVTOL manufacturers.[30] The Federal Aviation Administration was to outline its path to fully operational AAM air taxis before summer 2023.[63] United Airlines invested in both Joby and Volocopter.[53]

The City of Los Angeles published Integrating Advanced Air Mobility: A Primer for Cities.[64]

In November 2023, Volocopter and Joby Aviation tested their respective eVTOLs in New York City, from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport.

Stakeholders

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This section lists relevant companies by targeted market segment within the advanced air mobility industry.

Public initiatives

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Intra-city airborne transportation

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Inter-city airborne transportation

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While urban and suburban air mobility utilize eVTOL aircraft within a greater metropolitan area, rural and regional air mobility may utilize electric short take-off and landing eSTOL aircraft.

Cargo delivery

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Public services

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  • Firefighting[67][68]
  • Search & rescue[69]
  • Air ambulance[70][71]
  • Power line inspection[72]
  • Vaccine delivery
  • Beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) safety testing[73]

Personal vehicles

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Advanced Air Mobility Institute. https://aaminstitute.org/mission
  2. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  3. ^ a b “Advancing Aerial Mobility: A National Blueprint” National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. 2020.
  4. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  5. ^ Gipson, Lillian (31 August 2018). "UAS Traffic Management (UTM) Project". NASA. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  6. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  7. ^ “Urban Air Mobility and Advanced Air Mobility”. Federal Aviation Administration. United States Department of Transportation. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  8. ^ “Regional Air Mobility: Leveraging our National investments to energize the American Travel Experience”. NASA. April 2021.
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  10. ^ a b "Urban Air Mobility and Advanced Air Mobility". Federal Aviation Administration. United States Department of Transportation. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  11. ^ Banke, Jim (23 March 2020). “One Word Change Expands NASA's Visions for Future Airspace Mobility” NASA. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  12. ^ Hill, Brian (2 December 2020). “UAM Vision Concept of Operations (ConOps) UAM Maturity Level (UML) 4”. NASA Technical Reports Server. NASA. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  13. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).[permanent dead link]
  14. ^ NASA Puffin Low Noise, Electric VTOL Personal Air Vehicle. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
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  16. ^ "Larry Page is quietly amassing a 'flying car' empire". The Verge. 2018-07-19. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  17. ^ "Fast-Forwarding to a Future of On-Demand Urban Air Transportation". Uber Elevate (27 October 2016). Retrieved 12 December 2022.
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  35. ^ Hader, Manfred (7 January 2020). “EHang implements its vision of UAM by setting up a test center in Guangzhou” Roland Berger. They were retrieved on 28 December 2022.
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  56. ^ Brian Garrett-Glaser (December 8, 2020). "It's official: Joby Aviation acquires Uber Elevate, including $75 million in new funding". eVTOL.com. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  57. ^ Bogaisky, Jeremy. "Electric Air Taxi Maker Joby Goes Public, Offering Investors Sky-High Potential—And Risk". Forbes. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  58. ^ Blain, Loz (2022-01-24). "Joby S4 hits 205 mph, flying further and faster than any eVTOL to date". New Atlas. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  59. ^ Thom Patterson (February 17, 2022). "Joby Aviation eVTOL Test Aircraft Goes Down During Flight". Flying magazine.
  60. ^ O'Connor, Kate (26 May 2022). "Joby Receives Part 135 Certificate". AVweb.
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