Integrating urban analytics in low-noise airspace design for urban air mobility

Aircraft noise is a significant constraint in the urban integration of urban air mobility (UAM) system. Recent research has explored various approaches for UAM noise control within the context of urban airspace design, which could facilitate efficient noise-aware flight trajectory planning and enable integrated urban airspace management. However, a notable research gap lies in the lack of an urban analytics component in current noise-aware airspace designs. Urban analytics is essential because UAM operates in complex urban environments where the impact of noise is influenced by residents’ responses to UAM noise emissions. Leveraging modern smart city data, we address this gap through an integrated approach that combines geographic information system techniques, high-quality urban geospatial and spatio-temporal datasets, and an aircraft noise model to create 3D noise-aware no-fly zones. We also introduce a tailored optimal path planning algorithm HFPI-A* that considers both no-fly zones and flight performance constraints. A case study applies the proposed approach to a detailed examination in Hong Kong, revealing the sensitivities of various key factors in the design process and demonstrating their impact on the design outcomes.