On-Demand Aviation Regulatory Obstacles and Resulting Research Roadmaps

Abstract

In this paper, we discuss the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA's) procedural and regulatory practices that present challenges to the introduction of on-demand aviation (ODA) and pay particular attention to the impacts of increasingly autonomous piloting practices being pursued under ODA. The concept of ODA discussed in this research is that of a small electric or hybrid-electric air vehicle, with propeller-based propulsion, resulting in a low-greenhouse-gas-emissions footprint and substantially reduced pilot requirements through the use of automation. We outline the structure of the Federal Aviation Regulations, subchapters and parts, examining each subchapter in turn for areas of applicability for ODA certification, both pilot and vehicle. Our examination of reduced pilot roles makes use of the simplified vehicle operations levels that proceed from human pilot roles to full autonomy, as described in NASA research. We discuss risk-assessment options and suggest research to support aircraft and operator certification.

What Do You Need? Information Requirements and Task Analysis of (Future) Advanced Air Mobility Pilots in the Emergency Medical Service

“…An advantage of a single-pilot operation concept would be an extension of the operational range due to a reduced payload on board the eVTOL. However, under the assumption of a 40-h SVO pilot [22], it is possible to substitute the dedicated eVTOL pilot in the two-person crew with a trained paramedic, maximizing the medical expertise on site. Further factors for this assumption are discussed in Section 4.1.…”

“…Designing with humans in mind should be the general norm, but it is crucial for a completely new control philosophy such as SVO. One proposed benefit of SVO is using automation to reduce training time and requirements for pilot skills [5,22]. Although research warns that increasing automation does not directly translate to a decrease in pilot skill requirements (e.g., [23]), the situation should be seen differently for SVO: here, the automation serves as a shaping factor to the pilot input and does not fully take over the execution of a particular maneuver.…”

“…Conservative models such as the one by Bruder et al [9] assume that a dedicated pilot would still be required to operate the aircraft. However, following a concept such as the "40 Hour User" as proposed by Hemm et al [22] and linking it to the idea of SVO, it should be possible for an emergency doctor or a paramedic to fly to the emergency location themselves. This would maximize the amount of available medical personnel at the location.…”