Talk like an industrial engineer

Advanced air mobility (AAM) — a rapidly-emerging aerospace sector focused on systems that support next-generation air transport

Aerospace — the science and industry of aircraft and spacecraft

Digital twin — a virtual representation of a physical system, object or process that uses real-time data to support design and operations decisions

Demographic — relating to different groups within a population of people

Drone — a flying device that can be controlled remotely

Hybrid — combining two or more energy sources (eg., a hybrid car can run on electricity or petrol/ diesel)

Optimise — making something the best it can be (for example, the most energy efficient)

Vertiport — a take-off and landing site for aircraft that take off and land vertically

Flying cars, electric planes and AI-powered delivery drones are regular features in science fiction, but it might not be long until they become a reality. However, it is not as simple as developing these technologies and releasing them into the world. Before these technologies can become part of our daily lives, a few conditions must be in place, such as supporting infrastructure and networks, operational knowledge and societal acceptance.

These new technologies are known collectively as advanced air mobility (AAM). “AAM is a new transportation system that uses innovative aircraft, often electric or hybrid, that are capable of vertical take-off and landing,” says Professor Jean-Marc Frayret of Polytechnique Montréal and the SDG Institute of Advanced Air Mobility. This transportation includes the movement of people and goods in both urban and regional contexts and opens up a wide range of possibilities: air taxis, flying ambulances, and drones of all sizes and capabilities, to name a few. “AAM can help reduce the carbon footprint of existing mobility systems, provide new flexible transportation options, accelerate supply chains and enable advanced data collection,” says Jean-Marc.

Why Canada?

The SDG Institute of Advanced Air Mobility is based in Montréal, Canada, and for good reasons. “Montréal is recognised as a global aerospace hub, home to major manufacturers and a highly developed industrial ecosystem closely connected to local universities and colleges,” explains Jean-Marc. “More broadly, Canada has a uniquely rich environment for studying and deploying AAM, combining real-world complexity with world-class expertise.”

The region has a wide array of terrains and environments, from fields to forests to cities. “This geographical variability is matched by Canada’s extreme climatic variability,” says Jean-Marc. “From winter snowstorms to summer heatwaves, we can test AAM systems under many different environmental conditions.”

Urban centres like Montréal suffer from severe traffic congestion and have a high demand for sustainable transport alternatives – challenges that AAM could provide solutions to. In contrast, Canada’s rural northern communities are very hard to reach over land, which impacts the services, resources and opportunities they can access. AAM could potentially connect these communities, offering easy transport of both people and resources between remote and highly-populated areas.

Preparing for take-off

Integrating such radically different vehicles into our current system will not be straightforward – which is where scientists, managers, social scientists and engineers, like Jean-Marc and his team, come in. “AAM is not just about new aircraft and propulsion technologies,” he says. “Its success depends on building a complete ecosystem of interconnected social and technical systems.” This will involve a huge shift in societal infrastructure, but the team is up for the challenge.

“One facet of this new ecosystem that we’re focusing on is ‘vertiports’ – the places where AAM vehicles can take off, land, recharge and board passengers or cargo,” says Jean-Marc. “This includes both high-tech hubs in urban areas and simple landing pads in remote areas.” Jean-Marc’s team is developing advanced decision-support systems to facilitate this process, considering suitable vertiport locations, energy requirements and how such ports will operate day-to-day.

In addition to designing, building and supplying these facilities, policymakers will need to design measures to effectively manage this new influx of vehicles. “This will require a new generation of air traffic management tailored to low-altitude operations, including unmanned vehicles,” says Jean-Marc. “Unlike traditional air traffic control, this system will consist of digital, automated systems designed to coordinate both piloted and autonomous aircraft.” Getting these systems right is crucial – errors could result in catastrophe. But a smooth system could enable fine control of many aircraft at once, far beyond what humans could achieve manually.

Digital twins

To trial such systems before they become a reality, Jean-Marc and his team use simulations. “A digital twin is a virtual replica of a physical system that simulates, predicts and optimises real-world performance,” explains Jean-Marc. “Digital twins can represent individual aircraft, vertiports or even the entire mobility network of a city.” An important factor that distinguishes digital twins from traditional systems is that they are directly connected to live operational data – meaning they evolve over time. “We can test scenarios such as weather disruptions, emergency landings or passenger demand peaks in a safe virtual environment,” explains Jean-Marc. “This supports decision-making in the real world around the development and eventual operation of AAM systems.”

These models will lay the groundwork for new AAM systems, as well as build societal confidence in these technologies. “We have to integrate societal realities,” says Jean-Marc. “This includes seasonal challenges, demographic diversity and social acceptance.” One aspect of this involves demonstrating how economically feasible AAM systems are – that, financially, they can be created and maintained. Another aspect involves thinking about how wider society will respond to these changes. Many people will have serious reservations about these technologies and how they may be used or abused. “Citizens must perceive AAM as beneficial, fair, safe, and not disruptive or elitist,” says Jean-Marc. “This means they must be designed and implemented with these perceptions in mind.”