Industry
Manufacturing
Future-Ready Manufacturing: Partnering in your journey to a sustainable manufacturing enterprise
Highlights
- Rising population, urbanization, and economic growth are worsening city traffic with detrimental impact on our environment, posing challenges for urban planners globally. Urban Air Mobility presents a sustainable and secure transport alternative, helping alleviate congestion.
- Despite economic and political uncertainties in recent times, major OAMs have launched prototypes for commercial platforms in various segments of the UAM industry with a wide range of technology innovators investing towards fast-track research.
- Force multipliers such as Artificial Intelligence, edge cloud systems, IoT and 5G enablement, and floor shop modernization and automation are expected to play crucial roles in advancing technologies and accelerating the overall growth of the UAM Manufacturing segment.
- While the UAM segment has been consistently attracting investors, specific segments like eVTOLs operations, surveillance and delivery drones, Air ambulance, Agri drones, Geo Fencing, sustainable aviation etc. will see stronger growth than others.
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Introduction
The Urban Air Mobility (UAM) industry, powered by innovative technologies like e-VTOLS and drones, is rapidly transforming Urban Transportation
Based on this positive outlook, few OEMs have commissioned new manufacturing plants and sites across the globe with relevant enhancements in infrastructure and support ecosystems. UAM has advanced passenger transport, emergency response and cargo delivery through piloted and unmanned vehicles. While piloted eVTOLs suit passenger transport, drones are increasingly being used for emergencies and air ambulance services. UAM solutions have also been proven valuable in disaster relief, firefighting, and last-mile delivery.
The main infrastructure required for UAM operations include vertiports for air taxis and delivery stations for drones. Retrofitting buildings with rooftop vertiports and integrating vertiports with shopping malls can enhance accessibility with ample surface area. However, the rise of e-commerce challenges the mall viability. To optimize efficiency, pop up operations should be strategically linked to vertiports, covering at least 50 % of their route. This can help offset empty return trips but could inflate operational costs.
Present advancements in UAM
In spite of economic and political uncertainties in recent times, major OAMs have launched prototypes for commercial platforms in various segments of the UAM industry.
Investors have signaled their continued interest by funneling $4.5B in disclosed funding into the market in FY2023. Boeing is at the forefront of UAM innovation, developing Passenger Air Vehicles (PAV) eVTOL and partnering with Wisk to release a groundbreaking Concept of Operations (ConOps) for uncrewed, highly automated electric aircraft. This comprehensive Con Ops addresses uncrewed UAM aircraft, fleet operations, third-party services, vertiports, and airspace infrastructure.
Airbus unveiled the prototype for its new eVTOL aircraft ahead of the vehicle’s maiden flight, scheduled a few months from now. Airbus is revolutionizing mobility with the CityAirbus NextGen, a state-of-the-art UAM aircraft designed to meet the needs of cities and airlines worldwide. The aircraft is engineered for quiet operation, making it compatible for urban noise regulations.
Vertical Aerospace has launched the second full-scale prototype of its four-passenger VX4 tiltrotor eVTOL aircraft. The company is engaging with the UK Civil Aviation Authority to acquire the necessary regulatory approvals for conducting test flights.
Eve Air Mobility, a Brazilian subsidiary of Embraer, has announced the roll-out of a prototype of its first full-scale eVTOL aircraft. Last year, Eve Air Mobility announced the establishment of its inaugural eVTOL production facility in Brazil. The facility is anticipated to have an annual production of up to 480 aircraft.
Scope of IT advancements in UAM and eVTOL
Information Technology (IT) encompasses a diverse area of emerging technologies. Key advancement in areas of Artificial Intelligence (AI), edge cloud systems, IoT & 5G enablement, and robotic automation have extensive capabilities in advancing technologies for the UAM industry and its operations.
The convergence of IT and digital solutions, including 4G/5G/6G networks and vision-based navigation, is revolutionizing UAM operations by facilitating seamless communication between eVTOLS, ground control and passengers. Based on predicted navigation performance, guidance strategies are being designed to accommodate elevation and signal reflection. Hybrid navigation approaches, integrating satellite and inertial navigation systems are also being used to provide accurate position information and vertical altitude guidance. A vision-based standalone navigation system using camera images to gain extra position information is emerging as an alternative to traditional navigation systems.
Integration of AI based system into the UAM ecosystem is another trend which has emerged as a pivotal factor, particularly for command & control of the eVTOL flight systems. AI powered flight planning systems are being employed to optimize eVTOL trajectories, minimizing travel time and maximizing passenger comfort.
Automated Flight Planning System (AFPS) featuring Low-Altitude Airspace Management System (LAMS), Digital twin and Cloud computing are other emerging technologies that offers unique advantages in the UAM system.
The challenges ahead
Although the UAM industry would witness continued momentum for next few years, there could be significant challenges.
Although the UAM industry would witness continued momentum for next few years, there could be uncertainties like uncertain cost and pace of technology, volatile regulatory frameworks, increasing demand for safety and comfort, and risks related to public acceptance.
Specific segments like eVTOLs operations, surveillance and delivery drones, Air ambulance, Agri drones, Geo Fencing, sustainable aviation etc. will see stronger growth than others. Development of battery technology to power long range flights and rapid charging poses a significant hurdle. Noise generated by multiple rotors is another area undergoing development to ensure the clearance for deployment in urban areas by regulatory agencies. Ensuring safety of passengers and bystanders by deployment of advanced safety features is essential.
With companies reaching significant technical milestones, EASA and the FAA are poised to issue the first eVTOL certification in the Western market by the end of the year or next year beginning. Novel propulsion companies are actively engaging with regulatory authorities to obtain necessary certifications for their aircraft and propulsion systems.
Manufacturers are implementing strategies to enhance production efficiency, enabling the rapid and cost-effective production of serial aircraft and aircraft systems.
Drone deliveries are likely to continue to accelerate across use cases and geographies. Beyond small drones, substantial progress in larger drone category is anticipated. These drones are employed for middle-mile transportation, facilitating the movement of goods between distribution centers.
Conclusion
Urban air mobility seeks to optimize urban transportation systems by offering faster, more efficient and affordable travel and transportation options.
These platforms are being positioned as the first line services for emergencies and disaster recovery. The industry is developing rapidly and is poised to get significant investment and interest of investors leading to substantial number of mergers and acquisitions in the coming years.
