Sizing of Multicopter Air Taxis—Weight, Endurance, and Range

Abstract

In the near future, urban air mobility (UAM) will let an old dream of human society come true: affordable and fast air transportation for almost everyone. Among the various existing designs, the multicopter configuration best combines the advantages of compactness, simplicity, and maturity. These aspects are important for actual use, particularly during the early stage of this market. This study elaborates on the design principles of UAM multicopters by examining existing models in terms of their configuration, weight, and range specifications. In particular, the weights of the different components are estimated based on empirical models, aerodynamic fundamentals for the analysis of UAM multicopters are derived from momentum theory, and the power and energy requirements for hovering and cruise flight are evaluated, thereby enabling estimation of the maximum hovering time and flight range. Finally, a sizing method is introduced and validated against an actual UAM design.

Keywords

• urban air mobility
• air taxi
• multicopter design
• rotor aerodynamics
• flight performance