Optimizing Urban Air Mobility: A Ground-Connected Approach to Select Optimal eVTOL Takeoff and Landing Sites for Short-Distance Intercity Travel

Abstract

The progression of low-carbon aviation policies and the maturation of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) technology have engendered considerable prospects for the advancement of short-haul intercity and intra-city transportation systems. To harness the potential of eVTOL travel in ameliorating transportation carbon emissions and alleviating ground transportation congestion, the judicious selection of optimal eVTOL stop sites emerges as a pivotal consideration. This study delineates a framework for the delineation of intra-city and short-distance inter-city eVTOL site selection predicated on comprehensive analysis of ground transportation system interconnections. The initial phase of the framework entails the identification of potential optimal take-off and landing sites through a multi-faceted assessment of factors encompassing vehicular and passenger traffic flows, regional economic dynamics, travel behavioral patterns, and prevailing eVTOL flight regulations across heterogeneous ground transportation networks. Employing an enhanced iteration of the K-means algorithm, this phase undertakes the clustering of optimal takeoff and landing locations, thereby discerning their spatial distribution to effectively alleviate ground traffic congestion while aligning with eVTOL vertical port requirements and airspace regulatory mandates. The second phase involves the establishment of a demand gravity model to validate the optimal take-off and landing coordinate sites of eVTOL and further assess a service index indicative of traffic flow optimization. The case shows that six optimal eVTOL take-off and landing locations have been discerned by our model within the Beijing-Tianjin-Xiong'an (Hebei) region. These locations are anticipated to yield a cumulative service index of 75,465 instances, thereby efficaciously mitigating travel pressure on ground transportation infrastructure.