Throughput and operations management of a vertiport with taxing and parking levels

Abstract

Amidst the increasing aerial traffic and road traffic congestion, Urban Air Mobility (UAM) has emerged as a new mode of aerial transport offering less travel time and ease of portability. A critical factor in saving travel time is the newly emerging electric Vertical TakeOff and Landing (eVTOL) vehicles that need infrastructure such as vertiports to operate smoothly. However, the dynamics of vertiport operations, particularly accommodating battery charging and swapping facilities, remain relatively unexplored. This work aims to bridge this gap by delving into vertiport management by utilizing separate taxing and parking levels. The study also focuses on the time spent by eVTOLs at the vertiport to anticipate delays. This factor helps optimization of the arrival and departure time via a scheduling strategy that cater to hourly demand fluctuations. The simulation results carried out with hourly demands underscore the significant impact of eVTOL battery charging on operational time while also highlighting the pivotal role of parking spots in augmenting capacity and facilitating more efficient scheduling.