Expected to be fully developed within the next few years, eVTOLs are not your typical aircraft. They combine the vertical take-off and landing of helicopters with the horizontal flight of airplanes, and they are as quiet as common house noise. They are the next wave in aviation innovation and very well could change the way we travel across the region. Often considered flying taxis, when fully developed, these aircraft will carry up to six people, including the pilot, and depending on the transportation network may deliver point-to-point service. Here are four ways eVTOLs may transform transportation for people across the region.

Speeding commutes
Compared to helicopters, airplanes and even drones, eVTOLs are unique in that they take off and land from nontraditional locations such as parking garages, shopping malls and open fields. Since they travel at speeds equivalent to a high-speed train, eVTOLs could dramatically reduce travel time and help alleviate traffic congestion. The combination of rapid travel and flexible connections has the potential to provide a faster, easier commute for workers traveling to larger cities and expand work, educational and retail opportunities for those living in more rural areas.

Easing airport travel
As airlines are key investors in eVTOL development, these aircraft are expected to provide connectivity to and from airports. Many airlines view eVTOLs as a transportation mode that may expand their passenger base, since eVTOLs can quickly deliver passengers to airport terminals for connecting to regional or international flights. While useful for major international airports such as JFK and Newark, eVTOLs could become particularly important for more rural parts of New York and New Jersey, as the aircraft hold the potential to increase passenger traffic to regional airports, driving airport expansion and economic growth.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
eVTOLs are powered by electricity stored in onboard batteries that are charged from clean energy sources. Unlike helicopters and airplanes, eVTOLs are quiet and do not produce carbon emissions. As the industry advances and eVTOLs are more widely in use, they will become a viable alternative to bus or car travel, which would serve to improve air quality by reducing roadway congestion and emissions. Once the technology matures, an eVTOL journey should be similar in cost to an Uber or Lyft.

Moving freight faster
In addition to moving passengers, eVTOLs are expected to move freight. Many of the major cargo companies are already planning to integrate eVTOLs into their feeder fleets. The speed of the aircraft, combined with their ability to take-off and land from flexible locations, is expected to help advance shipping, particularly to rural locations. As the use of eVTOLs for shipping evolves, people living in rural and urban areas may see faster deliveries. 

Making it work
Change and growth require insight and experience, something ArchTam’s aviation planners have in abundance. We understand what’s needed for success and are delivering services across all aspects of this ascendant industry. We’re working to help design, locate and place designated terminals—known as vertiports—that allow for expedited passenger movement, maintenance and battery charging, while providing a completely new and enjoyable passenger experience.

We are also using our extensive environmental knowledge to assist with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other state environmental permitting. Our energy experts are examining eVTOL charging requirements, looking at their impact on the energy grid and the potential for grid development, so utility companies and eVTOL operators can plan for evolving market needs. And importantly, we are helping guide our clients through the intricate process of aviation design and aviation regulations. With these transformative efforts at work, eVTOL implementation is on the horizon, bringing the promise of greater connectivity and more convenient travel options throughout New York and New Jersey.

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Grid updates

eVTOLs are fueled by electricity, requiring significant energy to be generated and transported to vertiports — the facilities that support eVTOLs operations — via the utility grid. With numerous gates, each capable of charging an eVTOL, a busy vertiport could potentially consume over 5 megawatts of power, akin to the demand of 6,000 homes.

To meet these new loads, utility companies may need to upgrade equipment and infrastructure, deploy smart grid technology to manage peak demands, and engage in planning for vertiport placement. Vertiport operators are looking at ways to minimize grid upgrade costs and placement restrictions through innovative operational strategies, and utility companies that actively participate in vertiport placement will be better prepared to manage these new loads.

Advancing synergies

In many parts of the country, commercial energy rates have a peak demand and an energy consumption component. This means that a large spike in electricity demand for just 15 minutes over a month raises the unit cost of energy for an otherwise low consumption facility. For a vertiport where aircraft “fuel” is electricity, demand spikes can be extremely high and without thoughtful management and planning, the demand charge for meeting these peaks could more than double energy costs.

Traditional aviation markets have shown that fuel costs can be a major obstacle during early roll-out phases, not to mention significantly impacting long-term operator success. Understanding how much and when energy will be consumed will help identify potential synergies to offset costs, such as providing charging opportunities to other industries like electric vehicles. By spreading the demand cost across users, vertiport operations can become substantially more cost-efficient.

Resilient energy infrastructure

For eVTOL operators, aircraft turnaround time will be a significant factor in viability. These aircrafts will carry only about six people at a time so, like the Formula One pit stop, getting in and out quickly by minimizing gate time will be essential for operators to make a profit. Charging speed is expected to have the greatest impact on gate time, so it will be critical to get the energy infrastructure right. This means balancing short-term charging infrastructure investments with the ability to support the market’s rapid innovation while future-proofing for likely medium- to long-term changes to the charging process.

Deploying a scalable strategy for energy usage allows a vertiport to support short-term and long-term charging needs. Such a strategy could include using energy storage to accommodate anticipated surge charging over short periods while also anticipating programmatic impacts that potential innovations and even alternative fuels introduce. A scalable energy usage strategy enables vertiports to support short-term, day-one charging needs as well as longer term operational growth without requiring excessive initial capital investment. Our energy infrastructure professionals can help clients gauge current and future needs, providing the essential agility, flexibility and scalability to adapt and evolve as the eVTOL industry matures.

For the future

The emergence of new and varied fuels for eVTOLs will add further complexity, demanding even more agility and flexibility in infrastructure planning. Currently, most eVTOLs are powered by electricity and have a battery on board for storage. As the industry evolves, operators may consider switching fuels — for example, using hydrogen for on-board fuel cells — which currently looks to be the most viable alternative to battery-based eVTOLs. Hydrogen power will likely reduce aircraft weight allowing for improved eVTOL range.

Green hydrogen, from renewable sources, could be generated off-site and transferred to vertiport storage tanks, similar to airport fuel tanks. As hydrogen infrastructure capabilities develop, it will become increasingly feasible to integrate hydrogen into a scalable vertiport. For the initial eVTOL network roll outs, this approach can be combined with limited electrical infrastructure investment with the capacity to feed an on-site electrolyzer and hydrogen storage/fueling system, supporting increased operations without significantly impacting the local electrical utility grid.

With a new aviation industry on the horizon, eVTOL operators and utility companies are considering innovative solutions to current energy challenges. Delivering answers that are scalable, forward thinking, flexible and agile will be key in delivering energy to these new aircrafts and, in turn, making eVOTLs viable and integral parts of our transportation future.  

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eVTOL is a burgeoning wholly electric transportation form that combines the vertical take-off of helicopters with the horizontal flight of airplanes — and it has the potential to upend the transportation industry. Eventually, eVTOLs may provide short intracity and intercity trips for the price of a higher-end Uber or Lyft, replacing car travel and reducing highway congestion as well as the greenhouse gas emissions that go with them.

While eVTOLs are expected to be in operation within the next few years, there are policies and regulations that must be established before they can be integrated into our transportation networks. Here are three policy points currently in the works that will be key to getting eVTOLs up and flying.

Safety and flight regulations

As with any new industry, consistent regulations are important to maintain safety and manage potential issues. In the case of eVTOL,NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are working together, harmonizing deployments and developing safety regulations for these new vehicles and their supporting facilities known as vertiports. The agencies are considering flight-related issues such as safety, takeoff and landing, operations and flight routes as well as quality-of-life issues like noise andenergy supplies. Also doing due diligence are states, municipalities and agencies where eVTOLs are expected to operate. ArchTam professionals are helping these entities understand state and locality-specific regulations and how eVTOL deployment will fit into their transportation networks.

Once regulations emerge and eVTOLs are off the ground, they may do more than just transport people and goods—they may also help save lives. The U.S. National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that 95 percent of vehicle crashes are caused by human error on the ground and 54 percent involve other vehicles. Developing and safely integrating eVTOL into our transportation network will reduce highway congestion with the resulting decrease in vehicles on the roadways decreasing the potential for crashes.  And, looking into the future of eVTOL, when these aircraft are automated, the potential for human error will be removed from the equation, even further reducing the potential for vehicle crashes on the ground.

Vertiport standards

Vertiports provide the infrastructure for eVTOL maintenance, passenger loading and charging and are major parts of the eVTOL industry. While there are some federal standards regarding vertiport form, none exist for function and location. This poses a critical challenge. Since many types of eVTOL models are in development, each with different requirements, developing standardized yet flexible vertiports will be key to industry success. Our professionals encompass aviation, energy, facilities and infrastructure, all with a full understanding of vertiport requirements, including siting and energy supplies.

While we are working with NASA to help set standards across the board. We are also engaging directly with eVTOL manufacturers and operators as well as with states and municipalities to develop standardized vertiport designs that comply with FAA regulations and can be strategically deployed, adapted and expanded to meet state- or locality-specific needs while helping make eVTOLs accessible to the general public.

Integrating operations

As with any industry, eVTOL demands a comprehensive knowledge of functions to be viable. And that will entail understanding how the energy, infrastructure, electrified transportation, aviation and facilities components work together. With our vertical integration capabilities, we integrate our professionals across these areas of expertise advancing effective measures for eVTOLs that move goods or people.

Our team is at the technical forefront for eVTOLs helping states and municipalities analyze and establish routes that make sense and that are competitive with other types of transportation. We are working on two fronts to help eVTOL routes fulfill equity needs by establishing vertiport locations and also helping determine the technical means of payment for these routes.

With concerns about climate change and equity top of mind, energy efficiency and the transport of goods and people continue to be a priority for federal, state and municipal officials. The very real possibility of establishing and advancing eVTOL, once considered the stuff of science fiction, will help each of these entities in their quest to manage these difficult issues.

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