The prospects of on-demand urban air mobility in Zurich, Switzerland

Abstract

Urban Air Mobility (UAM) is a novel concept based on the use of Vertical Takeoff and Landing vehicles for aerial transportation of people in urban settings. It can, potentially, disrupt the way people move today. The factors and impact of demand drivers for UAM, are, however, largely unknown. Therefore, the goal of this study is to present a methodology to investigate demand for UAM using an agent-based approach. The methodology presented is used successfully to investigate UAM demand for a case study of Zurich, Switzerland, in showing demand sensitivity to various technological and operational parameters. This should provide a backbone for future research in other urban areas around the world and operational optimization of the UAM services.