Underutilised Skies And Properties Help Us Fly
Low-Altitude Air Mobility Is A Force Multiplier For Growth
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Transportation is constantly evolving. Each step forward yields new opportunities that fundamentally change the relationship that humankind has with distance and travel. - Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
A New Dawn In Aviation?
Following a 98-0 bipartisan vote by the U.S. Senate, Michael G. Whitaker was approved to lead the FAA.
Whitaker also has previous FAA experience: from 2013–14, he served as the deputy administrator, where he led the agency’s efforts to modernize the US National Airspace System (NAS). He is most recently the chief operating officer of Supernal, Hyundai’s advanced air mobility (AAM) company. Supernal is in essence and flying car company and one which has been rapidly developing its hardware.
Whitaker is a well-respected aviation policy leader, with more than 30 years of experience. Before his positions at Supernal and the FAA, he worked for several airlines. He has over three decades of aviation experience, including serving as group CEO at India-based travel conglomerate InterGlobe Enterprises, senior vice president at United Airlines and assistant general counsel of international and regulatory affairs at Trans World Airlines.
He has a Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University Law Center and is a private pilot who serves on the Flight Safety Foundation’s board.
Following his nomination, Whitaker was endorsed by a broad group within the aviation community, including, airlines, unions, and general aviation associations. His Senate confirmation hearing was swift and lacked controversy, so some respite!
As a colleague who is a keen researcher in aviation markets and Urban Air Mobility put it, “Whitaker is a net positive” for those of us who are interested in promoting low-altitude urban air mobility.
Low-Altitude Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Corridors
Low-altitude air corridors support point-to-point operations. For example, drone movements between a mall and their customers along the designated and legal routes to prevent trespass in private airspace. In terms of electronic Verticle Take off and Landing vehicles (eVTOL), this would be from a local vertiport to an airport.
Solutions and technologies in this area include UAM Corridors. - NASA
As operations evolve, the corridors will be segmented and connected to form a more complex and efficient decentralised network of available routing between points. Conceptually this will be like a river with tributaries down local communities’ streets and parks. This encompasses private property owners’ airspaces and includes areas like existing no-fly zones, for example, military bases.
According to FAA advice, Urban Air Mobility corridor design must include:
1. Minimal impact on existing operations while maintaining equity for all operators.
2. Public interest stakeholder needs (e.g., local environmental and noise, safety, security).
3. Stakeholder utility (e.g., property owners and customers needs).
Corridors offer the opportunity to respond to new levels and types of service demands while taking advantage of the aircraft’s capabilities without adversely impacting current service levels. - FAA
A Flying Car Certified (for the next phase of testing)
The FAA recently granted certification to California-based aviation firm, Archer, for their eVTOL, called Midnight. It has taken Archer four years of flight testing, including a two-year phase of full-scale flight trials to get to this point. How much has the tech already evolved in 6 years? The next phase means working closely with the FAA to prepare for commercial deployment. While you have to be happy that it’s moving, the pace is a concern.
It can seat four passengers and is propelled by six independent batteries that power a pair of electric motors turning 12 rotors. It can reach a maximum speed of 150 mph. It is said to be capable of covering approximately 20 miles in a consecutive back-to-back flight pattern, allowing for a mere 12-minute recharge interval between each leg. A single flight could span up to 100 miles. In terms of payload capacity, Midnight can carry around 1,000 pounds, accommodating four passengers and a few items of luggage. It can transport passengers from point A to point B in just 10-20 minutes in contrast to the 60-90 minutes required for ground vehicles to cover the same distance.
Physical Infrastructure
Taking off, landing, flying, charging batteries, changing batteries, safety checks, and picking up high-demand products and highly demanding people all requires physical infrastructure. Drones and eVTOL do not operate within a vacuum.
Private property owners and metropolitan planning organisations, who are decentralised, in collaboration with state and local governments, are integrating UAM infrastructure planning into transportation and utility initiatives. This approach delivers uninterrupted coverage and bolsters capacity for all the players in the Urban Air Mobility category.
By building the required infrastructure faster, hyper-local market needs can be satisfied cost-effectively.
State and local governments are being encouraged to actively plan for Urban Air Mobility (UAM) infrastructure to ensure transportation equity, market choice, and accommodation of demand for their communities. - FAA
This can be seen in the moves of State and local officials to find ways to utilise their airspace and that of their constituents. Delivering high-quality services that can add to the local budgets rather than take away is incredibly positive to communities and legislators, and it’s a vote-winner.
Mechanisms for ensuring equitable and efficient use of capacity-constrained resources, such as ….airspace markets and algorithm-based resource sharing, will be needed. - NASA
The driving force behind any community involvement and strategic alignment with broader transportation planning endeavours is vital in unleashing the full potential of UAM to maximise the benefits it offers.