New Framework Optimizes Urban Air Mobility Vertiport Siting and Fleet Design

Researchers have developed a comprehensive framework to optimize the design of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) networks. This system considers various factors, including the strategic placement of vertiports, the simulation of eVTOL fleets, and the overall feasibility of door-to-door travel times. By analyzing commuter and passenger activity data, the framework uses clustering techniques to identify optimal vertiport locations and then evaluates these networks through discrete-event simulations that model multi-vehicle dispatch, battery swaps, and service regularity. A practical application of this framework in the Greater Los Angeles area showed how the network design adapts to varying demand levels, from a small initial setup to a larger system with more vertiports and eVTOLs. The study revealed that while larger fleets improve service, spatial demand imbalances continue to pose operational challenges, leading to deadhead flights. The analysis also suggests that UAM offers the most significant travel time savings for longer or highly congested trips, where the flight time contributes substantially to overall efficiency.