Risk Assessment of eVTOL Operations in Urban Environments: A FRAM Approach

In recent years, the development of aerial vehicles has gained significant attention as a promising solution to the growing demands of urban transportation, while aiming to reduce the environmental impact of conventional motor vehicles. However, concerns have emerged regarding infrastructure requirements, air traffic management, and operational safety. This paper explores safety-related aspects of Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) operations in a prospective context, with a focus on risk identification and management. The study aims to map eVTOL operations in urban environments and conduct a qualitative risk analysis, along with a quantitative estimate, centered on a hypothetical scenario that introduces variabilities with potential safety implications. To model the approach and landing phases, the Functional Resonance Analysis Method (FRAM) is employed, followed by a quantitative risk assessment. Based on the Concepts of Operations (CONOPS) for eVTOLs, the research includes the decomposition of high-level functions into low-level functions to capture the complexity of operation, and the application of FRAM to model the scenario. The resulting analysis offers insights into safety-critical aspects of eVTOL missions, demonstrating FRAM's effectiveness as a tool for evaluating dynamic interactions within complex and highly integrated systems.

Keywords: FRAM, Functional Resonance Analysis Method, eVTOL, Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing.