Page 45 - TT Mag Feb 2024 Digital Edition_New

EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES

Legal Issues:
Several legal issues have cast
their shadow over the air mobility
industry. High on this list are the
liabilities attached to damage
caused by accidents, contracts with
the end users (commuters and
cargo shippers), insurance limits for
public protection, cyber threats and
vulnerabilities that will be exposed
by malicious actors, environmental
laws pertaining to noise and land
use, and more.
Environmental Impact:

Concerns have been raised about
the noise of vehicles. The sound
generated by take-off and landing
factors, including economic growth, will require a new framework and could increase noise pollution in
increased interest from foreign new systems of air traffic control cities, impacting residents and local
companies in India and growing to manage the movement of many wildlife. Secondly, although the
EXIM trade have bolstered the Indian air taxis out of vertiports and other emissions from electric vehicles may
cargo market. In 2022, the Indian air terminals. What’s more, the aviation be cleaner than traditional vehicles,
cargo market generated 2.2 million industry will have to define strict the overall impact of emissions
tonnes of traffic. This makes the standards of safety - both in the should be assessed (including the
country the perfect destination for air and on ground. Flight protocols energy required for charging the
air taxis catering to cargo delivery. must be devised so that aircrafts electric air taxis).
don’t fly close to each other. Finally,
Challenges that lie regulations must be put in place to Safety:
ahead safeguard the privacy of passengers. New technologies should be
While the promise of air taxis Cost: thoroughly tested and meet
and the air mobility industry shines While air mobility provides a stringent safety standards to
bright, the way forward is clouded compelling alternative to more ensure smooth, reliable rides
with challenges and a healthy dose traditional modes of transport, it also and reduce the risk of accidents.
of scepticism - both from authorities comes at a high cost. Air mobility Robust systems and regulations
and the public. need to be in place so that multiple
developer - Lilium - has revealed air taxis can integrate into the
Infrastructural Problems: that each of its eVTOLs will cost an existing airspace. Air taxis should
estimated $2.5 million and have a be protected from cyber attacks
Countries like India need to build lifespan of 8 years. Lilium estimates
a strong electrical grid and a vast that each vehicle will generate $5 that target flight control systems.
network of charging locations to million in revenue annually and Failure to do so could result in
accommodate air taxis. Further, the return $10 million profit across catastrophic accidents.
launch pad (called vertiports) for these its lifespan. The challenge lies in Wind gusts from high rise
eVTOL taxis will be built atop high-rise producing these vehicles in a swift buildings could increase the
buildings. Constructing stations across and cost-effective manner. The high chance of collisions. Air taxis are
busy cities will require vast amounts of quality materials that are required to low-flying vehicles that travel at
time, energy and money. build these vehicles will be expensive low speed, which makes them
to produce, slowing down the vulnerable to the wind and
Airspace Regulations and sector significantly. Furthermore, turbulence. Accurate and real-time
Control:
production is only one factor in information should be provided
Most countries are putting how much these projects will cost. so that pilots and flight operators
together regulations and policies to Infrastructure, operational costs, can make calculated decisions
govern air taxis. However, there is no flight service costs will undoubtedly when flying/ remotely operating
consensus internationally. Regulators add to this challenge. an air taxi.

www.trafficinfratech.com / February 2024 / TrafficInfraTech 45