#AMRG Presents: Summary of "Vertiport Ventures: Assessing Operational Feasibility for Evtol Integration in S?o Paulo"

What?

The study explored the potential of introducing Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft operations in S?o Paulo, Brazil, using existing infrastructure and technologies. The city is a Latin American financial hub with numerous helipads, making it a prime candidate for eVTOL integration. Data from the National Civil Aviation Agency and DECEA shows that S?o Paulo has the operational capacity to support eVTOL operations. Transitioning to electric aircraft could reduce pollutant emissions and generate revenue, such as €891,580 in the European Union compliance market over a 10-year period per vehicle. This research highlights the potential benefits and ecological advantages of implementing eVTOL technology in S?o Paulo's metropolitan airspace.

Who?

Peter?E.?O’Reilly & Marco?Aurélio?Feitosa?de?A.?L.?Babadopulos, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Worldwide; Ramy?A.?Rahimi, Center for?Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona?Beach; Jorge?Luiz?Rosa?Marques, Azul Brazilian Airlines.

Where?

This article can be found in the Journal of Marketing Analytics. You can link to it HERE .

Summary

This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of introducing Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft in the S?o Paulo (Brazil) metropolitan area, using existing helipads and helicopter infrastructure. eVTOL aircraft differ from traditional helicopters in their propulsion systems, featuring multiple smaller electric motor-driven propulsion units instead of internal combustion engines and mechanical transmissions. The study specifically focused on eVTOLs with the capacity to transport a minimum of four passengers and one pilot for distances of at least 50 km.

S?o Paulo, home of the world's largest helicopter fleet, has emerged as a vibrant vertical take-off and landing operations market. The city is an ideal testing ground for this potential trillion-dollar industry by 2040. Initial air taxi routes may link Guarulhos and Congonhas airports with smaller facilities like Campo de Marte, potentially leading to the development of new vertiports.

The study focused on identifying helipads and heliports in S?o Paulo City capable of supporting the operational specifications of selected eVTOL models. By calculating metrics for routes from each site, the researchers determined the percentage of routes feasible for each eVTOL based on technical specifications. The study also compared the acquisition costs of eVTOLs and helicopters to assess their benefit-cost ratio, which is crucial for understanding future demand.

Researchers noted that the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) ecosystem comprises six key components, each crucial for successfully deploying eVTOL vehicles. These components include the aircraft, the regulatory environment, airspace management, infrastructure, vertiports, and public acceptance.

The eVTOL market offers various models and architectures, including wingless multicopters, lift-plus-cruise models, and vectored thrust models. Understanding these architectures is crucial as they vary in complexity and suitability for different use cases. The timeline for commercial operations of eVTOL aircraft remains unclear, but manufacturers and airline operators have discussed commencing test operations between 2024 and 2025.

Airspace management is another critical aspect of eVTOL operations, especially in urban settings. As eVTOL technology progresses and autonomous capabilities become more widespread, the anticipated surge in eVTOLs operating in low airspace is expected to be significant. This increased aircraft volume underscores the urgent need for automated/augmented air traffic management systems capable of efficiently handling the influx of flights.

Infrastructure development is essential for advancing AAM, including establishing vertistops or vertiports. Fleet operators will assume a central role in overseeing eVTOL fleets and collaborating with vertiports and booking platforms.

Public acceptance of eVTOL technology is crucial for the democratization of aviation and for addressing concerns that have previously limited helicopter flights in urban areas. Programs like AFWERX Agility Prime in the USA aim to accelerate eVTOL testing phases by defining key milestones for 2023.

Take Aways

• S?o Paulo's current infrastructure of helipads and heliports supports eVTOL operations, with coverage of 64% to 99% of routes currently operated by helicopters.
• Significant carbon credit values could be generated annually and over a 10-year period by switching to eVTOLs.
• The JOBY S4 could generate up to 67% of its purchase price in carbon credits in the European Union compliance market over a 10-year period.
• The eVTOL was determined to have superior cost-benefit characteristics, costing up to 77% less than an equivalent helicopter.
• eVTOL operations could potentially reduce traffic by up to 8.6%, equivalent to 559,075 fewer cars annually and 5,665,120 fewer cars over 10 years.
• This could result in a significant reduction in CO2 emissions, reaching 5,179,622 tonnes annually and 52,266,079 tonnes over 10 years.

Comments

S?o Paulo is a unique market and likely provides the best infrastructure and route network for successfully implementing AAM. I'm a little skeptical of some of the other assertions presented; however, other AAM and eVTOL research has not been so complimentary or optimistic. Exigent research has shown that eVTOLs will not be cheaper than existing transit options anytime soon - likely not until they become autonomous and the industry has properly scaled. The carbon credit idea is an intriguing one, but we will have to wait and see. I am wondering why AAM might reduce traffic shy of 10% if eVTOLs are essentially going to be replacing existing helicopters? Again, research has clearly shown that AAM/UAM will have minimal impact on congestion. This may be due to the fact that those who might take AAM would not typically be driving.

In summary, this is a well-done study with some interesting and compelling points. I hope to see more studies like this done in other parts of the world. Moreover, I hope the rest of the world will learn some things from S?o Paulo.

Brought to you by #AMRG.

#AAM #UAM #RAM #evtol #vtol #vertiport #heliport #helicopter #brazil #saopaulo #aami #cami #vfs #joby #archer #volocopter