Vertiport Operations Modeling, Agent-Based Simulation and Parameter Value Specification

Abstract

Urban air mobility (UAM) is the idea of creating a future mobility market through the introduction of a new mode of aerial transport with substantial travel time advantages. A key factor diminishing travel time savings is vertiport processes. So far, vertiport throughput capacity has only been studied in a static manner using analytical methods, which has been found to be insufficient. This paper wants to increase the level of understanding of operational dynamics on vertiport airfields by being the first to apply agent-based simulation. For this purpose, an existing vertiport model consisting of pads, gates and stands was refined through two means. First, a sensitivity study with over 100 simulations was executed shedding light on the driving processes on a vertiport airfield. Second, an expert interview series with 17 participants was conducted, letting the experts evaluate the model and specify relevant parameter values. Three main results should find mention here: (1) Pad operations were identified to be most impactful on passenger delays. (2) Pad and gate processes have a threshold capacity beyond which delays increase exponentially. (3) A refined vertiport model is presented, including the 27 most relevant parameters and their value specification. In conclusion, this paper finds that optimized vertiport airfield design is crucial to UAM operations, and dynamic passenger and vehicle interactions cannot be neglected.

Urban Air Mobility: Systematic Review of Scientific Publications and Regulations for Vertiport Design and Operations

“…A parameter value specification based on expert interviews has been conducted to determine the different taxiing speeds and related processes such as starting/stopping of engines or mounting/de-mounting devices for passive taxiing [141]. 17 Experts from the industry, research and active piloting were consulted with an average experience of over 10 years.…”

“…Next to the operations on the pad, turnaround at the gate is the second most sensitive process on the vertiport airfield [141] and can encompass actions like passenger boarding and de-boarding, vehicle battery charging or swapping, pre-and post-flight checks and even minor MRO activities [126]. Ref.…”

“…Parameter value specification for charging speed, swapping time, boarding, etc. are presented in a systematic fashion by [141].…”

Social Sustainable Urban Air Mobility in Europe

“…However, with the capacity for one vehicle only, these pads are significantly limited in their customer throughput rates. When anticipating the time for eVTOL landing and egress of three passengers, respectively for the boarding of three passengers and eVTOL departure with five minutes (process times are derived from Preis and Hornung [52]) each, 36 persons per hour could be serviced in scheduled operation under the most idealistic conditions. In mobility-on-demand operation, whereby more people want to land at inner-city vertiports in the morning or take off after work, higher costs, negative environmental impacts and, after all, operational inefficiencies are expectable from a repositioning of empty eVTOLs.…”

“…Much stronger, however, because growth is exponential after a certain tipping point, is the impact of increased processing time for vehicles and customers as well as a decreased availability of landing pads and gates on the average passenger delay. Hence, unexpected disruptions in vertiport operation or sudden airspace restrictions due to weather change or emergency operations may result in major delays for passengers [52].…”