Vertiport Human-Automation Teaming for eVTOL Departure and Arrival Management

Abstract

This seminar will introduce the Vertiport Human-Automation Teaming Toolbox (V-HATT), a novel framework developed for managing Urban Air Mobility (UAM) in terminal airspace and vertiports. V-HATT is designed to integrate the efforts of human vertiport operator (VO) with an automation system for scheduling and real-time operations, creating a cohesive system for UAM traffic management. Using the Helo Holdings, Inc. (HHI) Heliport as a case study, Prof. Wei will demonstrate how the V-HATT framework effectively manages incoming and outgoing traffic in a busy urban airspace like the New York City. The framework employs mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) algorithms to schedule optimal arrival and departure sequences, focusing on minimizing in-air and ground delays while accounting for throughput and aircraft-specific constraints. This integrated approach promises significant improvements in UAM efficiency, safety, and reliability, contributing to the sustainable expansion of urban air transportation systems.

Speaker

Prof. Peng Wei is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at George Washington University, with courtesy appointments at Electrical and Computer Engineering Department and Computer Science Department. By contributing to the intersection of control, optimization, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, he and his team develop autonomy and decision support tools for aviation, aeronautics and aerial robotics. Prof. Wei is an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). He serves as an Associate Editor for the AIAA Journal of Aerospace Information Systems and Journal of Open Aviation Science. He received his PhD degree in Aerospace Engineering from Purdue University in 2013 and his bachelor’s degree in Automation from Tsinghua University in 2007.