Urban Air Mobility (UAM) and Total Mobility Innovation Framework and Analysis Case Study: Boston Area Digital Twin and Economic Analysis

Abstract

Studies conducted as a part of the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) mission of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) estimate that by 2035 significant numbers of new air vehicles will be operating to support Urban Air Mobility (UAM). These vehicles will differ in size, speed, and configuration depending on the purpose, which may include final-mile delivery, new forms of public transportation, cargo delivery and air taxi services. UAMs are planned to operate in high density populated urban areas, and the community integration of these new vehicles into the existing transportation system remains a primary concern for local and state governments. UAM is coming and cities are unprepared. UAM has the potential to transform a city’s economy, create jobs, reduce emissions compared to conventional road vehicles and aircraft, and reduce infrastructure costs. It is the start of a new multimodal transportation era. This paper addresses the potential to move UAM work forward by providing a case study and framework for cities when addressing UAM.A multimodal team of U.S.DOT researchers at the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center developed a solution to provide stakeholders (such as city and state planners) with a set of tools to meet this challenge. These tools will enable stakeholders who are currently seeking to move ahead of this fast-paced industry, such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), NASA, and states or cities looking to attract UAM investment. The team set out to conduct a Boston-based case study that is transferable to other cities, analyzing the integration of UAM into the Greater Boston transportation network. This work provides a site-specific UAM conceptual design framework and economic analysis that can be customized to any metropolitan area. The study provides a novel, government-focused perspective on the multimodal integration of UAM.