How are cities supposed to determine whether or not, and how, they might embrace urban air mobility (UAM) if they’ve had no direct experience of the new-generation eVTOL aircraft that will support these plans? This is a knowledge gap that AV Living Lab is seeking to fill with its Arch UAM Global Challenge, giving cities the opportunity to participate in its UAM CityLab programs, which use a UAM flight simulation hub to show people what this new mode of transportation will entail.
The Slovenian company is offering to transport an Arch UAM flight simulator consisting of a full-sized cabin that replicates the interior of a generic eVTOL aircraft to cities to allow citizens, as well as local planners and officials, to learn more about the technology and service model. The technology, developed by Nervtech, is also intended to inspire work on preparing ground infrastructure, regulations, and social acceptance for UAM.
Applications for the Global Challenge are being accepted through the end of February. At that point, 10 cities will be accepted as finalists and from these three winners will be chosen to have free use of a simulator for six months starting in September 2021. The judging panel for the Global Challenge will include leaders from ItalDesign, Daimler, Airbus, and the European Innovation Partnership on Smart Cities and Communities.
According to AV Living Lab CEO Daniel Avdagic, the finalists will be assessed on their level of interest in and commitment to advancing UAM plans. He is also a city councillor in the Slovenian capital Ljubljana, where he is working on plans to modernize the city’s transportation network. The company has already prepared provisional UAM simulation plans for London and for Tokyo in preparation for the 2021 Olympic Games in the Japanese capital.
AV Living Lab specializes in the development, testing, and implementation of new technologies and business models using their CityLab virtual environment platform.