Advanced Air Mobility Modern Flying News

NASA to Study Air Taxi Turbulence Using Human Test Subjects

The space agency works with a range of manufacturers and other stakeholders in the advanced air mobility (AAM) industry to guide aircraft design and operation.

Friday, June 28, 2024 at 01:53 PM ET

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NASA test pilot Wayne Ringelberg tests the agency’s air taxi simulator at the Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, in March. [Courtesy: NASA]

Key Takeaways:

NASA is preparing to use a six-axis air taxi virtual reality flight simulator to test human subjects over the next four years, simulating eVTOL aircraft flights.
The primary goal is to study turbulence and passenger comfort, collecting data on user discomfort, heart rate, and breathing rate in planned air taxi services in cities like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
This data will be shared with Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) industry partners such as Archer, Joby, and Wisk to inform air taxi design elements, flight paths, and infrastructure like vertiports.
The simulator project is a key component of NASA's broader AAM mission, aiming to prepare for and help develop a robust U.S. air taxi industry by the end of the decade.

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Over the next four years, NASA is preparing to put human test subjects in the seat of an air taxi virtual reality flight simulator.

Test rides on the six-axis simulator are meant to simulate the flight of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in order to help NASA study turbulence on planned air taxi services in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and elsewhere in the U.S. The data will be shared with AAM industry partners to help them develop passenger-friendly designs.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.