The Aerospace, Security and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD) published today a White Paper on Urban Air Mobility (UAM) and Sustainable Development. Envisa, the research and sustainable aviation company that conducted the report says its overall objective is to proactively tackle the current challenges with regards to UAM and provide an innovative, systematic guidance for a broad range of stakeholders, including industry, regulators, policy makers and end-users, for addressing a truly sustainable development of UAM.
“Embedded in a holistic approach,” the press releases says “it considers important parameters such as i) the energy efficiency of UAM applications when coupled with the societal impact they yield, ii) their wider desirability by citizens (not just users), and iii) total emissions released based upon an entire life cycle analysis approach.
“Urban air mobility – to be included as a key element of a broader Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) concept – is expected to become an important complementary factor to current transport modes with the potential to reduce both costs and environmental impacts of transport. The European Commission expects drone services – as one transport means of UAM – to be part of our everyday lives by 2030, e.g. for infrastructure inspections, surveillance operations, medical emergency equipment deliveries and parcel deliveries.
“Due to technological advances in UAM including in electric propulsion, advanced lightweight materials, aircraft architecture and digitalisation of air traffic management, market introduction is expected within the next five years. Regulators are responding by progressively developing and putting in place policies for the deployment of UAM services.”
Contributors to the report included: Agoria, Airbus, Avio Aero, BDLI, FACC, GIFAS, Leonardo, Rolls-Royce, SAAB and TEDAE.
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(Image: ADS white paper)