Approach to Characterize Mobility Through Modeling of Solution Spaces for Conceptual Aircraft

Abstract

The solution space for air-vehicle-based mobility architectures is a multidimensional space characterized by time‐based and economic figures of merit. Successful vehicle design relies on the specification of a range of requirements within this space, but limited methods are available to generate these specifications in the context of future transportation scenarios. Thus, the development of new air vehicles for improved personal mobility is hindered by the inability to understand the nature, structure, and sensitivity of the solution space. A “mobility credit” concept is introduced in this paper, which that links the targeted increase in mobility with vehicle design. Doorstep-to-destination travel time and net present value are two expressions of the credit that are defined and explored. A methodology for adaptable systems analysis is then developed and implemented to locate and visualize preferable regions of this solution space that maximize the mobility credit, avoiding the premature selection of a point design that is counterproductive at the conceptual level. Simulation results are presented that parametrically quantify the preferred level of air vehicle (speed), infrastructure (delay time), and economic (direct operating cost) parameters within the solution space.