A Survey of the Effects of Vehicle Configuration on Urban Air Mobility

This paper examines developments in urban air mobility (UAM), the configurations and flight mechanisms of different aerial vehicles. Despite the interest generated around UAM, there seems to be a gap in the literature concerning a systematic comparative analysis of different configurations, especially regarding their appropriateness for given applications, performance under fault conditions, and potential in even more foresightful but neglected designs. The other problems standing in the way of current UAM technologies are limited payload capacity, endurance, and energy efficiency, all of which work against successful commercialization. This study, therefore, considers a representation of 53 of the more prominent UAM aircraft, classified into a number of groups, paving a way for the in-depth study of important specifications such as range, speed, endurance, cargo capacity, number of passengers, and dimensions. Twelve general UAM configurations are identified, along with their advantages, disadvantages, and fault tolerance. Some underutilized designs are highlighted as worthy of more attention due to their potential. An attempt is made to link UAM configurations to specific applications, such as transportation, emergency response, and cargo delivery, in order to provide specific recommendations for each application. This work challenges standard design thinking, thus inciting designers to explore unusual avenues. The outcome is a useful analysis for researchers and engineers to look at UAM technologies in a different light while opening up possibilities for unconventional and creative designs.