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Demand Assessment and Integration Feasibility Analysis for Advanced and Urban Air Mobility in Illinois

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Advanced and Urban Air Mobility (AAM and UAM) represent emerging transportation concepts that involve the use of novel aircraft technologies to transport passengers and cargo within urban, regional, and intra-regional environments. These systems may include Electric Vertical Take-off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft, Short Take-off and Landing (STOL) aircraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which are being considered for a range of applications including passenger transport, cargo delivery, and other specialized operations. This study introduced a state-specific analytical framework that integrates different methodologies and data to enable a more precise evaluation of AAM viability in the State of Illinois, compared to generic national or global assessments, capturing the state’s unique mobility patterns, infrastructure constraints, and demographic distributions. One of the main goals is to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the potential implications—both challenges and opportunities—associated with AAM and UAM operations. The analysis examines potential impacts on mobility, infrastructure, economic development, and public services, with particular emphasis on identifying key considerations for policy development. The research framework categorizes use cases into two broad types: AAM for the transportation of people and cargo, and AAM for functional applications such as emergency response, agriculture, and infrastructure monitoring. The study provides a detailed quantitative assessment of passenger air taxi services, including demand estimation, business model feasibility analysis, integration effects on existing transportation systems, and infrastructure requirements. For other AAM applications, the analysis identifies operational considerations, regulatory implications, and potential barriers to implementation, establishing a foundation for future detailed evaluation.

Source: Applied Sciences

DOI: 10.3390/app152211901

Authors: Vasileios Volakakis, Christopher Cummings, Laurence Audenaerd, William M. Viste, Hani S. Mahmassani

Institutions: Northwestern University, Illinois Department of Transportation

Language: English

Topic: Air Traffic Management and Optimization

Subfield: Aerospace Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Industry, innovation and infrastructure, Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,896