EILT

Influence-reduced urban air transport technology

The research project Influence-reduced Urban Air Transport Technology (EILT) is part of the Holistic Air Mobility Initiative of the Bavarian State Government. The joint research project, involving the companies Reiser Simulation, f.u.n.k.e Avionics, and the Hochschule München, runs for 3 years and has a total funding of approximately €1.5 million. Hochschule München receives €740,000 in funding. The faculties involved are Faculty 03 (Prof. Dr. Alexander Knoll), Faculty 07 (Prof. Dr. Gudrun Socher), and Faculty 12 (Prof. Dr. Marion Kießling).

Urban air mobility vehicles, such as air taxis, are expected to transport passengers quickly over land on direct routes, picking them up from small landing fields using electric propulsion. Similarly, drones should be able to quickly deliver goods to any location around the world. These vehicles must often operate in the low-altitude areas of cities, where turbulence—particularly with certain wind conditions—can cause strong updrafts and downdrafts, as well as general turbulence. This not only affects flight comfort and safety but also leads to excessive energy consumption due to the required motor response, which significantly reduces their range and impacts sustainability. Vehicles such as delivery drones or air rescue services, which need to be capable of landing "anywhere" under all weather conditions, are particularly at risk.

The local flow conditions in urban areas represent one of the most complex and least understood microclimates, as factors like wind strength and direction, turbulence, building structures, vegetation, and even the surface of buildings (e.g., balcony design) all play a role. Changes in the urban landscape, such as new construction, can also alter these microclimates. This vast number of parameters cannot be adequately represented in a single model. Nevertheless, the aim of the research project is to find methods to predict local flow conditions using well-known large-scale measurements, such as wind direction and speed, and thereby determine safe flight paths for air taxis or delivery drones under current conditions.