• Journal of Advanced Navigation Technology
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.300-308
• /
• 2024

Urban air mobility (UAM) is emerging as a revolutionary transportation solution to urban congestion and environmental issues. Especially, electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft are expected to enhance urban mobility, reduce traffic congestion, and decrease environmental pollution. However, the successful implementation and operation of UAM systems heavily rely on advanced technological infrastructure, particularly in sensor technology. Among these, 3D light detection and ranging (LiDAR) systems are essential for detecting obstacles and generating pathways in complex urban environments. This paper focuses on the challenges of developing LiDAR-based perception solutions, emphasizing the importance and performance of object detection capabilities using 3D LiDAR. It integrates LiDAR data processing algorithms and object detection methodologies to experimentally validate the effectiveness of perception solutions that contribute to the safe navigation of aircraft. This research significantly enhances the ability of aircraft to recognize and avoid obstacles effectively within urban settings.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aviation and Aeronautics
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.100-107
• /
• 2023

This study intends to present the UAM pilot qualifications and training and education systems based on the roadmap of technology for K-UAM operation system, which is being promoted for commercialization in 2025. There are currently about 250 eVTOL manufactures around the world, and they are gearing up to produce a variety of UAM aircrafts. In Korea, 35 companies including Hyundai Motor company, Korean Air, Lotte and SKT are accelerating the development of UAM aircrafts. UAM is being developed as a public goods concept centered on public transportation and urban aviation rather than private transportation. Therefore, the UAM pilot qualification and education and training system should be suitable for operations in densely populated areas and complex urban enviroments. In other words, in order to ensure safe UAM operations, the competencies and qualifications of UAM pilots should be clearly established.

• Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.45-56
• /
• 2021

Demand for UAM (Urban Air Mobility) aircraft is rapidly increasing in countries around the world due to the problem of traffic congestion in urban areas. Through research and development, various e-VTOL aircraft concepts are being prepared for commercialization, for which airworthiness certification is required, since it is a manned transportation mode for people to board. Factors that pose a fatal threat to the safe operation of UAM aircraft include lightning strikes that can cause damage to structures and disturb the navigation system, as well as icing that impairs flight stability. Since the current UAM aircraft-related lightning and icing certification technology development is insufficient, there is need to develop appropriate airworthiness certification guidelines. In this study, after analyzing the laws and regulations related to aircraft by the FAA and the EASA, we tried to incorporate the lightning and icing certification guidelines for the UAM aircraft. We also analyzed the effects of lightning and icing on UAM aircraft using computational simulation, and presented the basis for establishing practical guidelines for the certification of UAM aircraft to be adopted in the future.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aviation and Aeronautics
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.39-48
• /
• 2024

Aviation industry is moving towards the third innovative era of AAM with electric power and AI after the JET-powered era following the Wright brothers' first flights. Research on UAM, eVTOL development, certification, and operations is competitively progressing, primarily in aviation-leading countries, aiming to resolve urban traffic saturation and foster the future aviation industries. This study introduces the concept of the pilot's role transition in operational safety as AI autonomous flight advances, comparing K-UAM operational concept with research from FAA, NASA, and EASA. It is to identify and propose solutions for challenges from the pilot's perspective in developing UAM and its safe operation system. To succeed in Advanced Air Mobility National Project, we suggest the collaboration among industry, academia, and institutions, along with the cooperation between civilians, governments, military, and the need for Urban Air Mobility integrated policies.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.44 no.5
• /
• pp.733-741
• /
• 2024

Urban Air Mobility is gaining attention as a solution to traffic congestion and air pollution in large cities, but Gangneung, the case area of this study, is a medium-sized city focusing on tourism and connectivity with other public transport rather than congested traffic. Introducing UAM here focuses on integrating aircraft that carry people, vertiports for vertical take-off and landing, and corridors through which UAM can fly. While research on aircraft and vertiports is actively conducted, studies on corridors are still lacking. Thus, this study selected a route in Gangneung, a medium-sized city in Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, that allows UAM flights with minimal risk. For this, a safety distance specific to building heights was determined, and the damage radius in case of aircraft crashes was calculated to select the route with the least possible damage during crash or collision incidents. For analysis, aerial photos and digital maps of Gangneung City, along with building information data, were used to create high-resolution orthophotos and digital elevation models. Based on the created data, GIS-based spatial analysis and three-dimensional visualization were conducted, and a suitable UAM route for Gangneung City was determined.

• Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.23-34
• /
• 2022

Cities around the world are increasing their demand for Urban Air Mobility (UAM) aircraft due to traffic congestion with population concentration. Aircraft with various shapes depending on fixed-wing and propulsion systems, are being prepared for commercialization. Airworthiness certification is required as it is a manned transportation vehicle that flies in the city center and transports people on board. UAM aircraft are vulnerable to lightning and HIRF environments due to the increasing use of composite materials, the use of electric motors, and use of electronic equipment. Currently, the development of certification technology, guidelines, and requirements in lightning and HIRF environments for UAM aircraft is incomplete. In this study, the certification procedures for lightning and HIRF indirect impacts of rotorcraft shown in AC 20-136B and AC 20-158A issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), were verified and applied to the computerized simulation of UAM aircraft. The impact of lightning and HIRF on ducted fan UAM aircraft was analyzed through computerized simulation, and the basis for establishing practical guidelines for certification of UAM aircraft to be operated in the future is presented.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
• /
• v.10 no.4
• /
• pp.701-710
• /
• 2024

This study conducted a survey of companies in the aviation, drone, and Urban Air Mobility (UAM) sectors to analyze the educational and workforce needs, identifying essential competencies and technical training required. The study also proposed potential areas for collaboration between universities and industry regarding educational methods. Key findings and implications of the survey were derived. The results indicated that the most critical consideration for hiring was job-specific skills in the respective field. The most essential quality for workforce training was identified as enhancing the ability to use various equipment and software related to the major field. In the UAM sector, there was a high demand for personnel and education related to aircraft and components, with the highest demand being for lightweight manufacturing technology for aircraft. This study can serve as foundational data for addressing the educational needs in this field.

• Journal of Service Research and Studies
• /
• v.12 no.4
• /
• pp.94-105
• /
• 2022

Urban Air Transportation (UAM) is a three-dimensional transport within the city using eVTOL as an alternative to the saturation of land transportation due to overcrowding in major cities around the world. Design has played its roles in various fields in the development of transport, but research on the design application of UAM, which will be commercialized soon, is insufficient. Accordingly, there is a growing need for prior research on the forecasting the future environment and the design application through phenomenon analysis. The purpose of this study is to derive mega trends through STEP analysis for UAM and present ways to apply design in the UAM field based on this. The research method was conducted in the following order. First, the theoretical background of UAM was established by analyzing prior art documents on UAM. Second, five trends in the future environment centered on UAM were derived through STEP analysis. Finally, in order to derive a design application, five experts in each design area (product, visual, video, environment, service) discussed the design application focusing on the results of STEP analysis and derived a design application plan for each design area in the UAM field. Through this study, it was found that the most frequent design area in the STEEP analysis is product design and service design, and therefore related design development is important. After analyzing UAM's information provision plan, display method, and usage process suggested in this study, it is expected that it will lead to various prior design studies related to UAM, such as customized service design, to establish an infrastructure environment for commercialization of UAM.

• Journal of Information Technology Applications and Management
• /
• v.30 no.6
• /
• pp.17-29
• /
• 2023

In this paper, we aim to propose cyber security considerations and countermeasures for infrastructure and services in the UAM(Urban Air Mobility) Air Traffic Management field, which is one of the key elements of the UAM market that has not yet bloomed. Air traffic management is an important factor for safe navigation and social acceptance of UAM. In order to realize air traffic management, infrastructure and services based on solid network connectivity must be established. And for industries where connectivity is the core component, it can become an infiltration route for cyber threats. Therefore, cyber security is essential for the infrastructure and services. In detail, we will look into the definition of the existing air traffic management field and the cyber threats. In addition, we intend to identify cyber security threat scenarios that may occur in the newly designed UAM air traffic management infrastructure. Moreover, in order to study the cyber security countermeasures of the UAM air traffic management infrastructure, there will be analysis of the UAM operation concept. As a result, countermeasures applicable to the infrastructure and service fields will be suggested by referring to the cyber security frameworks.

• Atmosphere
• /
• v.33 no.4
• /
• pp.413-422
• /
• 2023

Urban Air Mobility (UAM) is promising, sustainable and efficient air transportation in a metropolitan area. Korean government has recently announced operation demonstration plans as a step toward commercialization of UAM. However, there is lack of understanding on the potential impact of weather on UAM operation. We collected weather observations from Gimpo International Airport and 5 automatic weather stations (AWS) along UAM corridor of the Han-River to assess weather barriers such as low visibility, wind gust and wind shear. The results show the frequency of low visibility near the corridor fluctuated significantly from year to year depending on the concentration of fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) in Seoul. The frequency of high wind speed-shift calculated using 1-minute wind observations was increased not only during the spring season (March, April, and May) but also the beginning of rainy season (Jun). In addition, a chance of high wind shear from 1-minute wind observations varied by the stations, suggesting that the condition is largely affected by topography including a river and high-rise buildings. These basic weather properties suggest that there are substantial weather barriers to UAM operations along the Han-River Corridor, while they cannot properly surveil micro-scale weather conditions in detail such as wind gust and wind shear over the corridor. Thus, this study suggests that potential barriers related to adverse weather need to be evaluated, building high-density weather observations infrastructure prior to UAM demonstration and commercialization.