Planning, operations, and management for urban air mobility: A comprehensive review and future research directions

Abstract Driven by rapid advancements in electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) technology, urban air mobility (UAM) has attracted unprecedented attention worldwide, with governments, industries, and researchers exploring its potential to revolutionize urban transportation. In this paper, we conduct a comprehensive review of key research problems in UAM to establish a foundational knowledge framework and provide insights for researchers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders. Specifically, we examine UAM-related studies and reports from the perspectives of planning, operations, and management, including topics such as infrastructure development, airspace management, and service optimization. Additionally, the potential societal impact and public acceptance of UAM are explored to provide a balanced view of opportunities and challenges in this emerging field. The application of UAM in several representative scenarios is also analyzed to examine the operational feasibility of integrating this new mobility solution into modern urban transportation networks. Based on our review findings, we identify a series of challenges and open questions that need to be adequately addressed for future UAM commercialization. Finally, the paper concludes with a discussion of potential research directions aimed at designing a more reliable and scalable UAM network.