The link: http://www.inuedizioni.com/it/prodotti/pubblicazione/inclusive-cities-and-regions-territoires-inclusifs-parallel-workshop
The presented work aims to establish the optimal positioning of infrastructures such as vertiports and air corridors to improve connection with remote areas, thus regenerating neglected regions without CO2 emissions, hence reducing regional disparities in an environmental-friendly way. We considered the case of the Emilia Romagna region because of data availability, especially related to weather. After describing the proposed method, we illustrate a use case to show the benefits in terms of equality, climate change impact, and traffic congestion. Our proposal falls within the scope of the 'Digital European Sky' initiative [1] and focuses on co-planning and decentralization. Taking as a reference the urban planning discipline, we propose a method to identify ideal locations for tangible and intangible infrastructure for drones. The Airport Risk Plan (Piano di Rischio Aeroportuale, PRA) is an example of the intersection between urban planning and aeronautical risk management, grounded in the Navigation Code. UAV integration in urban landscapes, indeed, extends beyond traditional aviation and requires strategic planning as envisioned in the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) National Plan by ENAC [2]. In Italy, transportation planning has been delegated to the regions, which are responsible for conveying national interest infrastructures to the Ministry of Transport. In the Emilia Romagna region, the current plan is the PRIT 2025, which mentions the development of drones, particularly small private deliveries. Additionally, Emilia Romagna implements intermediate plans between the municipal and regional levels, the provincial plans. These include the Urban Plans for Sustainable Mobility (PUMS) across one or more municipalities and the Urban Traffic Plans (PUT) for smaller towns. The method we propose to identify ideal locations for vertiports, and air corridors is a 3-step process that exploits spatial analysis algorithms like Weighted Multi-Criteria (WMCA) and Least Cost Path (LCP). Considering orography, obstacles, meteorological seasonal information, mandatory regulations, and other information related to protected areas and bird migratory routes, we determine the optimal airspace-to-fly. This first step requires data preparation to convert the information stored in each layer into a "convenience-for-the-flight" factor, followed by a summation process based on WMCA (Fig. 1). The second step, through iterative LCP calculations, aims to determine the optimal routes that maximize the objective, which-for the illustrated use case-is the number of remote areas served with one vertiport (Fig. 2). The third step is the optimal vertiport positioning determination, which is calculated considering drones' energy constraint, main constraints for the vertiport placements (like public transportation system and energy supply network), and the regulatory requirements for the vertiport area. These last two steps may be switched according to the objectives' type, as shown in [3], which more deeply describes the method. It distinguished extra-urban and urban cases. In the urban case, the social acceptability factor-measured in terms of noise, privacy, and visibility impact-has a much greater relevance. Moreover, considering the population density, the classes of use of the buildings flown over, the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), and 4G/5G signal coverage will be of interest for the corridor positioning. Use cases within the realm of passenger and cargo transportation are the primary beneficiaries of the proposed method. In the cargo transportation context, large drones travel from distant locations to a logistics center. Once they reach the delivery point, the "last mile" is handled by smaller drones that deliver them to the destination or a pickup point. In this case, our solution would assist the authorities in improving connections with remote areas while planning the most convenient flight routes, considering relevant factors for urban and extra-urban cases. Therefore, such infrastructural integration will promote a more inclusive and, also, sustainable development. Indeed, the eVTOL (Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing) vehicles used for the envisioned transportation, being electric, will avoid CO2 emissions as with traditional transportation routes. In conclusion, in a historical moment where discussion on advanced aerial mobility as an integral part of the future of transportation is gaining ground, the project's envisioned process wants to promote inclusive decision-making, crucial for the success of drone infrastructure that hinges on cooperation between public and private stakeholders. The core of this strategy is the identification of ideal locations for air corridors, and vertiports, essential for drone takeoffs and landings, ensuring their strategic placement throughout the region to optimize the transportation of goods and people, avoiding high-risk areas according to safety regulations. The proposed method will effectively highlight the strengths and weaknesses introducing such infrastructures in a particular place. The envisioned outcome is an extended and integrated urban transportation system where technology, people, and nature harmonize, steered by principles of sustainability and inclusivity.