9.10.2023

In this work, we study noise and visual pollution, with the aim to develop knowledge about noise and visual pollution from UAM, and tools for analyzing and mitigating these effects.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can bring many benefits, particularly in emergency response and disaster management. However, they also induce negative effects, such as noise and visual pollution, risk, and integrity concerns.

UAV corridors

The results of our research indicate that it may be a good idea to pre-generate UAV flight paths and UAV-corridors, which have a minimal impact on society, affecting as few people as possible with noise, visual pollution and risk.

Allowing UAVs to only use predesignated corridors would simplify planning but would of course reduce the flexibility that UAM has to offer. Furthermore, it would require strategies for entering and exiting the corridors, unless all possible origins and destinations can be connected.

Emergency transports could be allowed to ignore the corridors, and use the quickest route, given that sufficient
collision avoidance techniques are in place. To develop such a network of corridors requires knowledge of the expected demand, and is an interesting avenue for future research.

Read the whole report here.