Hostname: page-component-6587cd75c8-4pd2k Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-04-24T06:20:13.280Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The state of the art and operational scenarios for urban air mobility with unmanned aircraft

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 January 2021

F. D. Maia Open the ORCID record for F. D. Maia [Opens in a new window]  and
J. M. Lourenço da Saúde
F. D. Maia*
Affiliation:
Aerospace Engineering Department Universidade da Beira InteriorCovilhã, Portugal
J. M. Lourenço da Saúde
Affiliation:
Aerospace Engineering Department Universidade da Beira InteriorCovilhã, Portugal
*
[email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

A state-of-the-art review of all the developments, standards and regulations associated with the use of major unmanned aircraft systems under development is presented. Requirements and constraints are identified by evaluating technologies specific to urban air mobility, considering equivalent levels of safety required by current and future civil aviation standards. Strategies, technologies and lessons learnt from remotely piloted aviation and novel unmanned traffic management systems are taken as the starting point to assess operational scenarios for autonomous urban air mobility.

Keywords

urban air mobilityconcept of operationsautonomous aircraftunmanned traffic management
Type
Research Article
Information
The Aeronautical Journal , Volume 125 , Issue 1288 , June 2021 , pp. 1034 - 1063
Check for updates
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Royal Aeronautical Society

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

Footnotes

*

This paper presents a review on enablers for autonomous urban air mobility performed by unmanned aircraft as well as an assessment of operational scenarios.

References

REFERENCES

Huang, H.-M., Pavek, K., Novak, B., Albus, J. and Messin, E. A framework for autonomy levels for unmanned systems (ALFUS), Proceedings of the AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems North America, pp 849–863, 2005.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lascara, B., Lacher, A., DeGarmo, M., Maroney, D., Niles, R. and Vempati, L. Urban Air Mobility Airspace Integration Concepts, pp 16, 2019.Google Scholar
Dunn, N., Analysis of Urban Air Transportation Operational Constraints and Customer Value Attributes, MIT, 2018.Google Scholar
Roosien, R.J. and Bussink, F.J.L. Urban air mobility - Current state of affairs, NLR - Netherlands Aerospace Centre, Amsterdam, NLR-TR-2018-233, Oct. 2018.Google Scholar
Moore, M.D. Concept of Operations for Highly Autonomous Electric Zip Aviation, presented at the 12th AIAA Aviation Technology, Integration, and Operations (ATIO) Conference and 14th AIAA/ISSMO Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization Conference, Indianapolis, Indiana, Sep. 2012, doi: 10.2514/6.2012-5472.Google Scholar
Statistical-Analysis-of-Comercial-Aviation-Accidents-1958-2019, Airbus, Feb. 2020.Google Scholar
Maier, M.W. Architecting principles for systems-of-systems, Syst Eng, 1998, 1, pp 267–284, doi: 1098-1241/98/040267-18.3.0.CO;2-D>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nielsen, C.B., Larsen, P.G., Fitzgerald, J., Woodcock, J. and Peleska, J. Model-based engineering of systems of systems, 2013, Submitted to ACM Computing Surveys.Google Scholar
Moore, M.D. Aviation Frontiers - On Demand Aircraft, presented at the 10th AIAA Aviation Technology, Integration, and Operations (ATIO) Conference, Fort Worth, Texas, Sep. 2010. doi: 10.2514/6.2010-9343.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Antcliff, K.R., Moore, M.D. and Goodrich, K.H. Silicon Valley as an Early Adopter for On-Demand Civil VTOL Operations, June 2016, presented at the 16th AIAA Aviation Technology, Integration, and Operations Conference, Washington, D.C., doi: 10.2514/6.2016-3466.Google Scholar
Autonomy Research for Civil Aviation: Toward a New Era of Flight. National Academies Press, 2014, Washington, D.C.Google Scholar
Cokorilo, O. Urban air mobility: safety challenges, Transport Res Proc, 2020. 45, pp 21–29. doi: 10.1016/j.trpro.2020.02.058.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Helle, P., Schamai, W. and Strobel, C. Testing of Autonomous Systems–Challenges and Current State-of-the-Art, INCOSE International Symposium, vol. 26, pp 571–584, 2016.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stevenson, A. Oxford Dictionary of English, 3rd ed. Oxford University Press, 2012.Google Scholar
Frost, C.R. Challenges and opportunities for autonomous systems in space, NASA Ames Research Center, 2010, p. 13.Google Scholar
Figueroa, J.F. and Walker, M.G. Integrated System Health Management (ISHM) and Autonomy, Jan. 2018, doi: 10.2514/6.2018-1152.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Beer, J.M., Fisk, A.D. and Rogers, W.A. Toward a framework for levels of robot autonomy in human-robot interaction, J Hum Robot Interact, 2014, 3, (2), pp 74–99, doi: 10.5898/JHRI.3.2.Beer.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
International Civil Aviation Organization, Ed., Manual on Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), Doc 10019 AN/507, 1st ed. ICAO, 2015, Montreal.Google Scholar
European Aviation Safety Agency, Ed., ‘Notice of Proposed Amendment 2017-05 (A) - Introduction of a regulatory framework for the operation of drones Unmanned aircraft system operations in the open and specific category’. EASA, May 2017.Google Scholar
Huang, H.-M. Autonomy Levels for Unmanned Systems (ALFUS) Framework - Volume I: Terminology, NIST Special Publication 1011-I-2.0, Oct. 2008.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Elbanhawi, M., Mohamed, A., Clothier, R., Palmer, J.L., Simic, M. and Watkins, S. Enabling technologies for autonomous MAV operations, Prog Aerosp Sci, 2017, 91, pp 27–52, doi: 10.1016/j.paerosci.2017.03.002.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clothier, R., Williams, B. and Perez, T. A review of the concept of autonomy in the context of the safety regulation of civil unmanned aircraft systems, ASSC 2013, pp 15–27, 2013.Google Scholar
Litman, T. Autonomous Vehicle Implementation Predictions - Implications for Transport Planning, Victoria Transport Policy Institute, 2018. Available: http://www.vtpi.org/Google Scholar
Parasuraman, R., Sheridan, T.B. and Wickens, C.D. A model for types and levels of human interaction with automation, IEEE Trans Syst Man Cybernet A Syst Hum, 2000, 30, (3), pp 286–297, doi: 10.1109/3468.844354.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bailey, R.E., Kramer, L.J., Kennedy, K.D., Stephens, C.L. and Etherington, T.J. An assessment of reduced crew and single pilot operations in commercial transport aircraft operations, Sep. 2017, pp 1–15, doi: 10.1109/DASC.2017.8101988.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
EASA Automation Policy: Bridging design and training principles, 2011, pp 14.Google Scholar
Atkins, E.M., Autonomy as an enabler of economically-viable, beyond-line-of-sight, low-altitude UAS applications with acceptable risk, presented at the Proc. AUVSI North America 2014, May 2014.Google Scholar
Aeronautical Information Manual - Official Guide to Basic Flight Information and ATC Procedures, Oct. 12, 2017, U.S. Department of Transportation - FAA, Available: https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/media/aim.pdf (Accessed: Apr. 29, 2020).Google Scholar
Thipphavong, D.P. et al., Urban Air Mobility Airspace Integration Concepts and Considerations, presented at the 2018 Aviation Technology, Integration, and Operations Conference, Atlanta, Georgia, June 2018, doi: 10.2514/6.2018-3676.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
UAS Traffic Management Architecture’. Global UTM Association, Apr. 2017. Available: https://www.gutma.org/docs/Global_UTM_Architecture_V1.pdf (Accessed: June 24, 2018).Google Scholar
Huat-Low, K., Framework for urban Traffic Management of Unmanned Aircraft System (uTM-UAS), presented at the ICAO’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Industry Symposium (UAS2017), Sep. 22, 2017, Session: UTM – A common framework with core boundaries for global harmonization, Montreal, Canada. Available: https://www.icao.int/Meetings/UAS2017/Documents/Kim%20Huat%20Lo_Singapore_UTM_%20Day%201.pdf (Accessed: June 22, 2018).Google Scholar
Traffic management solutions for drones in Singapore’s airspace, Available: https://phys.org (Accessed: June 22, 2018).Google Scholar
Pathiyil, L., Low, K.H., Soon, B.H. and Mao, S. Enabling Safe Operations of Unmanned Aircraft Systems in an Urban Environment: A Preliminary Study, 2016.Google Scholar
Holden, J. and Goel, N. Fast-Forwarding to a Future of On-Demand Urban Air Transportation, UBER, San Francisco, Oct. 2016. Available: https://www.uber.com/elevate.pdf (Accessed: Jan. 06, 2018)Google Scholar
Federal Aviation Administration, Ed., AC No: 150/5390-2C, U.S. Department of Transportation, Apr. 24, 2012. Available: https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/150_5390_2c.pdf (Accessed: June 26, 2018).Google Scholar
Sridhar, B. and Kopardekar, P. Towards Autonomous Aviation Operations: What Can We Learn from Other Areas of Automation? June 2016, doi: 10.2514/6.2016-3148.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
ARP4754A: Guidelines for Development of Civil Aircraft and Systems, SAE, 2010. Available: https://www.sae.org/standards/content/arp4754a/Google Scholar
Torens, C., Adolf, F.-M. and Goormann, L. Certification and Software Verification Considerations for Autonomous Unmanned Aircraft, J Aerosp Inform Syst, 2014, 11, (10), pp 649–664, doi: 10.2514/1.I010163.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
EASA - Certification Specifications and Acceptable Means of Compliance for Large Aeroplanes CS25, European Aviation Safety Agency, Dec. 13, 2012.Google Scholar
REGULATION (EU) 2018/1139 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL - of 4 July 2018 - on common rules in the field of civil aviation and establishing a European Union Aviation Safety Agency, and amending Regulations (EC) No 2111/2005, (EC) No 1008/2008, (EU) No 996/2010, (EU) No 376/2014 and Directives 2014/ 30/ EU and 2014/ 53/ EU of the European Parliament and of the Council, and repealing Regulations (EC) No 552/2004 and (EC) No 216/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Regulation (EEC) No 3922/91. European Aviation Safety Agency, 2018.Google Scholar
Drones - regulatory framework background, EASA. Available: https://www.easa.europa.eu/easa-and-you/civil-drones-rpas/drones-regulatory-framework-background (Accessed: Dec. 30, 2019).Google Scholar
eVTOL Aircraft Directory, Electric VTOL News TM, May 03, 2017. Available: http://evtol.news/aircraft/ (Accessed: May 22, 2019).Google Scholar
Bacchini, A. and Cestino, E. Electric VTOL configurations comparison, Aerospace, 2019, 6, (3), pp 26, doi: 10.3390/aerospace6030026.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clarke, M., Smart, J., Botero, E.M., Maier, W. and Alonso, J.J. Strategies for posing a well-defined problem for urban air mobility vehicles, presented at the AIAA Scitech 2019 Forum, San Diego, California, Jan. 2019, doi: 10.2514/6.2019-0818.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Silva, C., Johnson, W.R., Solis, E., Patterson, M.D. and Antcliff, K.R. VTOL urban air mobility concept vehicles for technology development, presented at the 2018 Aviation Technology, Integration, and Operations Conference, Atlanta, Georgia, June 2018, doi: 10.2514/6.2018-3847.Google Scholar
Greenfeld, I. Concept of Operations for Urban Air Mobility Command and Control Communications, pp 48, 2019.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Prevot, T., Rios, J., Kopardekar, P., Robinson, J.E. III, Johnson, M. and Jung, J. UAS Traffic Management (UTM) concept of operations to safely enable low altitude flight operations, presented at the 16th AIAA Aviation Technology, Integration, and Operations Conference, Washington, D.C., June 2016, doi: 10.2514/6.2016-3292.Google Scholar
Nneji, V.C., Cummings, M.L., Stimpson, A.J. and Goodrich, K.H. functional requirements for remotely managing fleets of on-demand passenger aircraft, 2018 AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting, 2018, pp 2007.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Scalabrin, G. et al., En-Route to urban air mobility - on the fast track to viable and safe on-demand air services, Altran, R&D report, Apr. 2020.Google Scholar
The MITRE Systems Engineering Guide, The MITRE Corporation, 2014.Google Scholar
Finger, D.F., Gtten, F., Braun, C. and Bil, C. Initial Sizing for a Family of Hybrid-Electric VTOL General Aviation Aircraft, 2018, doi: 10.25967/480102.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) and Guidance Material (GM) to Annex IV – Part-CAT. European Aviation Safety Agency, Feb. 2016, Available: https://www.easa.europa.eu/sites/default/files/dfu/Consolidated%20unofficial%20AMC%26GM_Annex%20IV%20Part-CAT.pdf (Accessed: May 05, 2020).Google Scholar
Geister, D. Concept for Urban Airspace Integration DLR U-Space Blueprint, DLR, May 2017, Available: http://www.dlr.de/fl/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-11763/20624_read-48305/Google Scholar
Vascik, P.D. and Hansman, R.J. Scaling constraints for urban air mobility operations: air traffic control, ground infrastructure, and noise, presented at the 2018 Aviation Technology, Integration, and Operations Conference, Atlanta, June 2018, doi: 10.2514/6.2018-3849.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Terekhov, I. Assessing noise effects of the urban air transportation system, presented at the 2018 AIAA/CEAS Aeroacoustics Conference, Atlanta, June 2018, doi: 10.2514/6.2018-2954.Google Scholar
Mueller, E.R., Kopardekar, P.H. and Goodrich, K.H. Enabling Airspace Integration for High-Density On-Demand Mobility Operations, June 2017, doi: 10.2514/6.2017-3086.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Special Condition - Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) Aircraft, European Aviation Safety Agency, July 02, 2019.Google Scholar
Consultation Paper Special Condition: Electric/Hybrid Propulsion System, European Aviation Safety Agency, Jan. 27, 2020.Google Scholar
Proposed MOC SC VTOL Issue 1, European Aviation Safety Agency, May 25, 2020.Google Scholar
ARP4761 - Guidelines and Methods for Conducting the Safety Assessment Process on Civil Airborne Systems and Equipment, SAE, 1996.Google Scholar