Advanced air mobility (AAM) refers to urban transportation systems that move people and goods by air. This has significant implications for reducing traffic congestion in cities and for providing an integrated approach to urban mobility. With the emergence of drone technology and the possibility of more autonomous aircraft, interest has grown considerably in AAM. Unsettled Issues in Advanced Air Mobility Certification discusses the impact of AAM on private sector solution providers including aerospace and technology companies and goes into solutions for urban planners and transportation professionals for better integration across all AAM modes. Click here to access the full SAE EDGETM Research Report portfolio. https://doi.org/10.4271/EPR2021014

Urban air mobility (UAM) refers to urban transportation systems that move people by air. UAM offers the potential for reducing traffic congestion in cities and providing an integrated approach to urban mobility. With the emergence of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, drone technology, and the possibility of automated aircraft, interest in this topic has grown considerably for private sector solution providers—including aerospace and technology companies—as well as urban planners and transportation professionals. Unsettled Issues Concerning Urban Air Mobility Infrastructure discusses the infrastructure requirements to effectively integrate UAM services into the overarching urban transportation system to enable multimodal trips and complete origin to destination travel. Click here to access the full SAE EDGETM Research Report portfolio. https://doi.org/10.4271/EPR2021025

Recent advancements of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft have generated significant interest within and beyond the traditional aviation industry. One promising application for these innovative systems is in firefighting support during urban, rural, and wildland firefighting operations. Future eVTOL firefighting capabilities could include early detection and suppression, civilian rescue, and on-demand aerial deployment and extraction of firefighters. Unsettled Issues Concerning eVTOL for Rapid-response, On-demand Firefighting identifies the challenges to be addressed so that these capabilities and benefits could be realized at scale: Firefighting-specific eVTOL vehicle development Sense and avoid capabilities in smoke-inhibited environments Autonomous and remote operating capabilities Charging system compatibility and availability Operator and controller training Dynamic air space management Vehicle/fleet logistics and support First-responder and general public acceptance Click here to access the full SAE EDGETM Research Report portfolio. https://doi.org/10.4271/EPR2021017

Sustainability is both an ethical responsibility and business concern for the aerospace industry. Military and commercial avionics developers have pushed toward a common standard for interfaces, computing platforms, and software in hopes of having “reusability” and reducing weight with backplane computing architectures which, in theory, would support commonality across aircraft systems. The integrated modular avionics (IMA) and military Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE) standards are two such examples. They emerged to support common computing architectures for reuse and sustainability concepts, from the beginning of aircraft development to the sundown or mortality phase. Pitfalls of Designing, Developing, and Maintaining Modular Avionics Systems in the Name of Sustainability looks at technological, organizational, and cultural challenges making reuse and IMA platform models difficult to fully realize their sustainability goals. Additionally, it considers the certification aspects of reuse and examines lessons learned from a successful reusable and sustainable platform. Click here to access the full SAE EDGETM Research Report portfolio. https://doi.org/10.4271/EPR2024010

Recent advancements of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft have generated significant interest within and beyond the traditional aviation industry, and many new and novel applications have been identified and under development. The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted the challenges of managing a global pandemic response due to the difference in regional and local resources, culture, and political systems. Although there may not be a uniform crisis management strategy that the world can agree on, we can leverage a new generation of vertical flight vehicles to make a difference if (or when) such a global epidemic strikes again. One of the key challenges realized in the early stage of the COVID-19 outbreak is the ability to allocate and distribute limited and critical medical resources, including equipment, supplies, medical personnel, and first responders to the hot spots when and where they may be needed. The on-demand logistics capabilities could be enhanced by the availability of new-generation eVTOL aircraft and their forthcoming autonomous operation. The ability to land and takeoff at many unconventional locations makes eVTOL aircraft valuable assists for complementing and enhancing on-demand logistic needs. To make such operations truly productive is not easy; there are reassociated challenges that needed to be addressed to enable the benefit of such a system. In addition to having a large enough eVTOL fleet near a location that can be available for the pandemic responses, the support system and the ability to deploy and reposition the fleet dynamically with supporting infrastructures are also required. Based on the rapid development progress of eVTOL, it is envisioned that those challenges can be addressed soon. https://doi.org/10.4271/EPR2020022

Recent advancements of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft have generated significant interest within and beyond the traditional aviation industry, and many new and novel applications have been identified and are under development. One promising application is rapid response during natural disasters, which can complement current capabilities to help save lives and enhance post-disaster recoveries. The Use of eVTOL Aircraft During Natural Disasters presents issues that need to be addressed before eVTOL aircraft are integrated into natural disaster response operations: eVTOL vehicle development Detect-and-avoid capabilities in complex and challenging operating environments Autonomous and remote operations Charging system compatibility and availability Operator and controller training Dynamic air space management Vehicle/fleet logistics and support Acceptance from stakeholders and the public Click here to access the full SAE EDGETM Research Report portfolio. https://doi.org/10.4271/EPR2022001

The extent of automation and autonomy used in general aviation (GA) has been accelerating dramatically. This has huge potential benefits for safety given that 75% of accidents in personal and on-demand GA are due to pilot error. However, an approach to certifying autonomous systems that relies on reversionary modes limits their potential to improve safety. Placing a human pilot in a situation where they are suddenly tasked with flying an airplane in a failed situation, often without sufficient situational awareness, is overly demanding. This, coupled with advancing technology that may not align with a deterministic certification paradigm, creates an opportunity for new approaches to certifying autonomous and highly automated aircraft systems. Unsettled Topics in the General Aviation Autonomy Landscape discusses how these new approaches must account for the multifaceted aviation approach to risk management which has interlocking requirements for airworthiness and operations (including training and airspace integration). If implemented properly, autonomy can take GA safety to the next level while simultaneously increasing the number and variety of aircraft and transportation options they provide. Click here to access the full SAE EDGETM Research Report portfolio. https://doi.org/10.4271/EPR2022004

Flying cars—as a new type of vehicle for urban air mobility (UAM)—have become an important development trend for the transborder integration of automotive and aeronautical technologies and industries. This article introduces the 100-year history of flying cars, examines the current research status for UAM air buses and air taxis, and discusses the future development trend of intelligent transportation and air-to-land amphibious vehicles. Unsettled Topics Concerning Flying Cars for Urban Air Mobility identifies the major bottlenecks and impediments confronting the development of flying cars, such as high power density electric propulsion, high lift-to-drag ratio and lightweight body structures, and low-altitude intelligent flight. Furthermore, it proposes three phased goals and visions for the development of flying cars in China, suggesting the development of a flying vehicle technology innovation system that integrates automotive and aeronautic industries. Click here to access the full SAE EDGETM Research Report portfolio. https://doi.org/10.4271/EPR2021011

Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as “3D printing,” is often touted as a sustainable technology, especially for metal components, since it produces either net or near-net shapes versus traditionally machined pieces from larger mill products. While traditional machining from mill products is often the case in aerospace, most of the metal parts used in the world are made from flat-rolled metal and are quite efficient in utilization. Additionally, some aspects of the AM value chain are often not accounted for when determining sustainability. Unsettled Issues in Additive Manufacturing and Improved Sustainability in the Mobility Industry uses a set of scenarios to compare the sustainability of parts made using additive and conventional technologies for both the present and future (2040) states of manufacturing. Click here to access The Mobility Frontier: Metals, Polymers, or Composites Click here to access the full SAE EDGETM Research Report portfolio. https://doi.org/10.4271/EPR2021015

According to some, electric propulsion is already on its way down the “trough of disillusionment.” This report argues that while there are some concerns with associated technologies, such pessimism is unwarranted. Yes, battery systems can be more energy dense; charging standards are late in being developed; it is not clear what technologies and architectures will win out for which sectors; we still have to figure out how to deal with thermal management issues at all levels in future designs; and what might be the certification standards for electric aircraft. But that does not mean that these issues will not be addressed. Yes, these unsettled questions may take a little longer to solve than originally estimated, but there is full expectation within the industry that electric propulsion for commercial aircraft will succeed. In this SAE EDGE Research Report we present points of view from leading researchers in the industry who are thinking deeply about solving these problems. NOTE: SAE EDGE™ Research Reports are intended to identify and illuminate key issues in emerging, but still unsettled, technologies of interest to the mobility industry. The goal of SAE EDGE™ Research Reports is to stimulate discussion and work in the hope of promoting and speeding resolution of identified issues. SAE EDGE™ Research Reports are not intended to resolve the issues they identify or close any topic to further scrutiny. Click here to access the full SAE EDGETM Research Report portfolio. https://doi.org/10.4271/EPR2019006