Paths to autonomous vehicle operations for urban air mobility. The convergence of new technologies, such as electric propulsion, autonomy, and new business models, such as APP-based ride sharing,…

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Langley Research Center awarded a $448,356 cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order contract to the National Institute of Aerospace to identify likely paths for introducing autonomous systems into routine operations of urban air mobility transportation systems. The goal is to support high-level autonomous aircraft that obviate the need for a dedicated human pilot. Under the contract, the National Institute of Aerospace will describe identified paths, assess their likelihood, and analyze technical, regulatory, and other drivers and barriers. Results will support decisions on future technologies and regulations by government agencies and the urban air mobility community. Two universities, Virginia Tech and the University of Michigan, serve as major subcontractors to assist with the research. The contract furthers NASA's urban air mobility framework by addressing availability and cost challenges associated with large-scale operations anticipated for future systems.

Paths to autonomous vehicle operations for urban air mobility. The convergence of new technologies, such as electric propulsion, autonomy, and new business models, such as APP-based ride sharing, are generating the potential for a new aviation market known as urban air mobility (UAM) to emerge. IT is envisioned that UAM may revolutionize mobility within metropolitan areas by enabling a safe, efficient, convenient, affordable, and accessible air transportation system for passengers and cargo. Such an air transportation system could bring aviation into people s daily lives and provide an augmentation and/or alternative to other ground-based transit modes, such as cars. The purpose of this task is to identify likely paths for the operational introduction of autonomous systems into the routine operations of UAM transportation systems, with the ultimate goal of supporting high-level autonomous automated systems, such as autonomous aircraft, that obviate (operationally and legally) the need for a human, pilot in command (PIC) dedicated to each flight (both on- or off-board). The output of the task is a description of the identified paths, an assessment of the path s likelihood of occurrence, and an analysis that describes the technical, regulatory, and other drivers or barriers that are associated with each path. Results are needed at a resolution appropriate to support high-level decisions for future technology, methods, operating procedures, design guidelines, standards, and regulations development activities by government agencies and the UAM community. The primary motivation of this task is mitigation of one of the key barriers within NASA s UAM framework. This barrier is associated with the individual vehicle management and operations driver of the UAM framework, and stems from the expected availability and cost challenges in using highly-trained and experienced human resources (e.g. pilot, ground crews, etc.) associated with the large-scale operations anticipated for future UAM systems.