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Case Details - EVTOL & The Future of Flight

Background

How can countries with vastly different infrastructures, climates, regulatory frameworks, and public attitudes accelerate the safe, sustainable, and inclusive adoption of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) technologies, especially electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOLs)?

The global push for innovative urban air mobility has brought about both opportunities and challenges. As eVTOLs and AAM technologies emerge, disparities in infrastructure, climate, regulations, and public views across nations have created hurdles. This competition calls for solutions to bridge these gaps and ensure safe, sustainable, and inclusive growth of AAM worldwide.

Guidelines

  • Competition Type: Open to all students globally (undergraduate and graduate).

    • Focus on research-driven evidence-based supported strategies for AAM adoption.

    • Teams of 3 - 4 members.

  • Core Focus: Analyze cross-nation disparities (infrastructure, climate, etc.), identify adoption barriers for eVTOLs/AAM, and design AI-enabled or policy-driven solutions.

    • Follow a structured approach:

      1. Executive Summary

      2. Introduction (Purpose; Background; Current State in Research and Practice …)

      3. Proposed Problem & Definition

      4. Solution Design (Scope; Method; Cost/Benefit; …)

      5. Feasibility Analysis

      6. Impact Assessment

      7. Key Takeaways.

  • Minimum of 3000 words. Include tables, charts, and figures to help better communicate your report.

  • Ensure that all your resources are cited in the text and at the end in the reference section.

  • APA formatting standards were used for reference.

Final deliverable: 1 presentation deck for a max 7 minutes presentation. 1 report (draft by sep 30th, final by oct 20). 

Timeline 

  • Registration Start Date: [May each year]
  • Preliminary Submissions: [September 30, 2025] (Submit presentation deck + brief report)
  • Final Presentation (Hybrid): [Oct. 22-24, 2025] (during the 3rd International Conference on Green Aviation in Xi’an)
  • You will submit your proposal (1 slide deck and 1 report draft) by Sept 30th. 
  • The organizing committee will review each submission to ensure adequacy and may reserve the right to reject submissions deemed in inadequate for the final presentation. Teams will be alerted. 
  • All presentations will be ranked. 
  • Teams will then present (hybrid - either in person at the conference or online) during the ICGA 2025 conference. 
  • At the end of all presentations, the top 3 teams' representatives will be announced. 
  • The winning teams will also be awarded internship opportunities (online) with IAGA
  • All submissions will be reviewed, selected submissions will be peer-reviewed and published in proceedings of IAGA Research and the World Experience and Innovation Impact Journal 2026.

Standardized Process

The following are some ideas and suggestions to help you write the different sections identified above. Note that these are suggestions. Feel free to add, remove, and change sections as you see fit. We are looking for innovations in your solution, as well as in your communication of your proposed solution.

Research & Data Collection

  • Survey Design Craft surveys to capture cross-country insights:

    • Infrastructure: “Does your region have vertiport-compatible landing zones? Rate challenges in upgrading existing infrastructure (1 = low, 5 = high).”

    • Climate: “How often do extreme weather events (e.g., typhoons, sandstorms) disrupt local aviation? How should eVTOLs adapt?”

    • Regulations: “Rate clarity of eVTOL certification processes in your country (1 = unclear, 5 = transparent).”

    • Public Attitudes: “Would you use an eVTOL for short-distance travel? List concerns (safety, noise, cost).” Distribute surveys via platforms like Google Forms and SurveyMonkey, targeting aviation experts, policymakers, and the public across 3–5 countries with diverse contexts (e.g., Norway, Brazil, India, Japan).

  • Secondary Data Source Leverage

    • IAGA’s research library (aviation policies, eVTOL trials).

    • Industry reports (Joby Aviation and EHang case studies).

    • Academic papers on climate-aircraft interactions and urban air mobility regulations.

Problem Definition & Analysis

  • Step 1: Synthesize Data Aggregate survey results and secondary data. Use tools such as Excel and Python (Pandas) to identify trends:

    • Example: “80% of respondents in Country X cite ‘unclear eVTOL safety standards’ as a top barrier; Country Y prioritizes ‘infrastructure cost’.”

  • Step 2: Define Key Barriers Categorize challenges into four pillars (mirroring 1st Edition’s structured analysis):

Pillar

Sample Challenges

Infrastructure

Vertiport shortages, grid - power limitations

Climate

eVTOL icing risks, heat - tolerance gaps

Regulations

Cross - border certification conflicts

Public Attitudes

Safety fears, noise - pollution concerns

Solution Design

  • Tech - Enabled Solutions

    • AI for Regulatory Alignment: Propose an AI dashboard to harmonize eVTOL certification rules across nations. Feed it with global regulatory data, flag conflicts, and suggest aligned standards.

    • Climate - Adaptive eVTOLs: Design AI-powered systems to adjust eVTOL operations (e.g., rotor speed and battery use) in real time based on weather data (e.g., avoiding typhoon-prone routes).

  • Policy & Infrastructure Solutions

    • Vertiport Development Roadmaps: Create phased plans for countries with limited infrastructure (e.g., start with retrofitting helipads and then build dedicated vertiports).

    • Public Trust Campaigns: Recommend AI-driven public engagement tools (e.g., VR eVTOL simulations to showcase safety) to address concerns.

Feasibility & Impact Framework

Structure solutions with

  • Description: Clear problem-solution link (e.g., “AI dashboard resolves regulatory conflicts by analyzing 50+ countries’ standards”).

  • Design: Technical/policy blueprints (e.g., “Dashboard integrates Python - based NLP to parse legal texts, AWS cloud for data hosting”).

  • Feasibility Analysis:

    • Cost: Estimate software development and infrastructure upgrades.

    • Timeline: 6 - month pilot for AI tools, 2 - year phased vertiport builds.

  • Impact Assessment:

    • Sustainability: Reduced carbon footprint via eVTOL adoption.

    • Inclusivity: Improved access to urban air mobility in underserved regions.

Presentation & Reporting

  • Deck and Report Structure Mirror 1st Edition’s format:

    • Executive Summary (theme, goals).

    • Research Methodology (surveys, data sources).

    • Problem Analysis (four pillars + data insights).

    • Solution Portfolio (tech, policy ideas with description, design, feasibility, and impact).

    • Implementation Roadmap (short-term pilots, long-term scaling).

Registration Fee

  • Registration Fee: [$47 USD / 400 CNY per team member].

Challenge Summary

  • Analyze Disparities: Compare infrastructure (vertiport availability, airspace systems), climate (extreme weather impacts on eVTOLs), regulations (certification, safety standards), and public attitudes (surveys, cultural acceptance) across 2 - 3 sample countries.

  • Identify Barriers: Pinpoint the top five to seven challenges (e.g., regulatory fragmentation, public safety concerns, climate-tech gaps).

  • Design Solutions: Propose actionable strategies, such as AI-powered cross-border regulatory dashboards, climate-adaptive eVTOL designs, or public engagement campaigns. Structure solutions with:

  • Description: Clear problem-solution mapping.

  • Design: May include technical/policy frameworks, social, behavioral, psychological considerations, or other areas of concern.

  • Feasibility: Cost, benefits, resources, and timeline analysis.

  • Impact: Environmental, social, and economic outcomes.

  • You are allowed to use AI. AI can be used to improve the report structure and English language. AI can also be used to identify sources and articles. Remember that you hold the ultimate responsibility for the final content. AI makes all sorts of errors, and it is your responsibility to verify, validate, and rewrite AI text and tables and figures in your own ideas, concepts, and words. If you use AI, please indicate the following in a separate section at the end of your report:

    • Which AIs did you use?

    • How did you use them. The process of using AI is clearly described.

    • Provide your input and the corresponding AI output in a separate document.

Awards

Top 3 teams earn:

  • Award 5000 RMB for each team;

  • Opportunity to present in the Europe Session in next Feb (cost borne by themselves)

  • Internship Opportunities: 3 - month to 1 - year online/in - person internships with IAGA or partner aviation firms (e.g., eVTOL developers, regulatory bodies).

Set up your survey in this format:

Section

Question

Type

Ref.

Demographics




1. Country of residence

Which country are you currently residing in?

Open text


2. Profession

What is your primary occupation or professional field?

Multiple choice


Current Awareness & Attitudes




3. AAM Awareness

How familiar are you with Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and eVTOL technologies?

Likert scale

10

4. Perceived Benefits

What do you think are the top 2 benefits of AAM in your country/region?

Choice (select 3 or can be open text)

10

5. Perceived Risks

What do you think are the top 2 risks or concerns related to AAM adoption?

Choice (select 3 or can be open text)

10

Infrastructure Readiness




6. Urban Air Infrastructure

How would you rate your country's urban infrastructure readiness to support eVTOL operations (e.g., vertiports, grid)?

Likert scale

2

7. Climate Adaptability

Does your region’s climate pose a challenge for safe eVTOL operations (e.g., storms, heat, cold)?

Yes/No + explain

2

8. Power Grid Readiness

Is your national or local electric power infrastructure sufficient to support the increased demand from eVTOL charging?

Likert scale

2

Regulatory & Governance




9. Regulatory Support

To what extent do you believe current aviation regulations in your country support innovation in AAM?

Likert scale

4

10. Civil Aviation Involvement

Has your country’s civil aviation authority initiated any programs or frameworks for AAM integration?

Yes/No/Don't know

4

11. Certification Framework

How important is international regulatory harmonization for safe and efficient eVTOL deployment across countries?

Likert scale

4

Social Inclusiveness




12. Equity in Access

Do you believe AAM will improve or worsen mobility for underserved populations (rural, low-income, disabled)?

Multiple choice

6

13. Public Trust

What level of public trust do you expect in eVTOLs in your country within the next 10 years?

Likert scale

10

14. Community Engagement

How important is local community involvement in AAM planning and deployment decisions?

Likert scale

6

Sustainability Concerns




15. Environmental Priority

How important is minimizing emissions and noise in your country’s transportation policy?

Likert scale

6

16. AAM vs. Ground Modes

In your opinion, how sustainable is AAM compared to current urban transport options (e.g., cars, buses, trains)?

Likert scale

2

Acceleration Levers




17. Government Role

What are the top 2 policy actions that could accelerate AAM adoption in your country?

Multiple choice (select 2)

5

18. International Collaboration

How critical is international cooperation (e.g., ICAO, EASA, FAA, WEF) in overcoming AAM challenges in infrastructure and regulation?

Likert scale

5

19. Private Sector Involvement

To what extent should the private sector lead vs. support AAM infrastructure development in your region?

Likert scale

5

20. Final Thoughts

What is the most important consideration for ensuring inclusive and safe AAM adoption in your region?

Open text


Resources

Top 3 winning team reports and presentations. 

First place winners - Ze pioneers  Mcgill University

Presentation deck :
022 - Ze Pioneers_IAGA team 22 ze pioneers638636720444146745.pdf
022 - Ze Pioneers_IAGA Competition 2024 - team 22638636720384926297.pdf 

Second place winners - SJTU_TUM - Technical University of Munich 

Presentation deck & report : 

009 - SJTU_TUM_IAGA Competition 009 - SJTU_TUM638655199665578173.pdf

009 - SJTU_TUM_IAGA Competition 009 - SJTU_TUM638635277295185298.pdf

Third place winners - Albatross NWPU - Northwestern Polytechnical University 

Presentation deck & report : 

010 -Albatross_NWPU_AI Empowered Soaring Trajectory Planning – Next Gen Green Aviation Solution638635315994642463.docx

010 -Albatross_NWPU_AI Empowered Soaring Trajectory Planning – Next Gen Green Aviation Solution638635316100892905.pdf

010 -Albatross_NWPU_AI Empowered Soaring Trajectory Planning – Next Gen Green Aviation Solution V2638644506162898219.docx

References

  1. Deloitte. (2021). Advanced air mobility: Can the UAM industry take flight? Deloitte Insights. https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/aerospace-defense/advanced-air-mobility.html

  2. European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). (2021). Study on the societal acceptance of Urban Air Mobility in Europe. https://www.easa.europa.eu/en/newsroom-and-events/press-releases/easa-publishes-study-urban-air-mobility

  3. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). (2023). Advanced Air Mobility Infrastructure Grant Program. U.S. Department of Transportation. https://www.faa.gov/airports/aam-infrastructure-grant-program

  4. International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). (2023). Advanced Air Mobility Study Group Report. https://www.icao.int/sustainability/Pages/AAM.aspx

  5. McKinsey & Company. (2023). The future of air mobility: Making it real, at scale. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/aerospace-and-defense/our-insights/the-future-of-air-mobility-making-it-real-at-scale

  6. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (2021). Inclusive mobility and smart cities. https://www.oecd.org/urban/inclusive-mobility-and-smart-cities.htm

  7. World Economic Forum (WEF). (2023). Skies without limits v2.0: A practical guide for scaling urban and regional air mobility. https://www.weforum.org/reports/skies-without-limits-v2-0

  8. World Economic Forum and Arup. (2022). Principles of the urban sky. https://www.weforum.org/whitepapers/principles-of-the-urban-sky

  9. International Transport Forum (ITF). (2023). The inclusive city: Addressing transport inequity. OECD Publishing. https://www.itf-oecd.org/inclusive-city-2023

  10. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). (2022). AAM Ecosystem Working Groups: Community Integration. NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate. https://www.nasa.gov/aeroresearch/aam/aam-ecosystem

Scientific References

  1. Al–Rubaye, R., Al-Ghadhban, M. A., & Alfarti, L. K. (2023). Advanced air mobility operation and infrastructure for sustainable connected eVTOL vehicle. Drones, 7(5), 319. https://doi.org/10.3390/drones7050319

  2. Bridgelall, R., Ritchie, S. G., & Hall, E. (2023). Integrating electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft into public airspace: A scenario study. Future Transportation, 3(1), 57. https://doi.org/10.3390/futuretransp3030057

  3. Bridgelall, R. (2024). Spatial analysis of advanced air mobility in rural healthcare logistics. Information, 15(7), 397. https://doi.org/10.3390/info15070397

  4. Goyal, A., & Cohen, M. (2022). Advanced air mobility: Opportunities and challenges deploying eVTOLs for air ambulance service. Applied Sciences, 12(3), 1183. https://doi.org/10.3390/app12031183

  5. Dulia, M., & Shihab, A. (2024). Building public–private partnerships for advanced air mobility infrastructure using game theory. Journal of Air Transportation, 1(1), D0447. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.d0447

  6. Namuduri, K. (2023). Digital twin approach for integrated airspace management with applications to advanced air mobility. IEEE Open Journal of Vehicular Technology, 4, 3312277. https://doi.org/10.1109/ojvt.2023.3312277

  7. Conrad, J., Reyna, L., & Okada, N. (2023). Intelligent vertiport traffic flow management for scalable advanced air mobility operations. In 2023 IEEE/AIAA 42nd Digital Avionics Systems Conference (DASC), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1109/dasc58513.2023.10311299

  8. Suo, Z., Yan, H., & Song, T. (2024). Exploring AAM acceptance in tourism: Environmental consciousness’s influence on hedonic motivation and intention to use. Sustainability, 16(8), 3324. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16083324

  9. Biehle, C. (2022). Social sustainable urban air mobility in Europe. Sustainability, 14(15), 59312. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159312

  10. Fakhraian, S., & Akbari, M. (2023). Towards safe and efficient unmanned aircraft system operations: Literature review of digital twins’ applications and European Union regulatory compliance. Drones, 7(7), 478. https://doi.org/10.3390/drones7070478

  11. Zaid, A., Wang, Y., & Li, Z. (2023). eVTOL communications and networking in UAM: Requirements, key enablers, and challenges. IEEE Communications Magazine, 61(7), 9-15. https://doi.org/10.1109/mcom.004.2300061


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