ATEFA - Project's results on UAM air traffic noise and air-taxi certification

Abstract

ATEFA, Germany's first nationally funded research project on UAM community noise, aimed to provide first answers, how novel air traffic noise from air-taxis can be assessed in a realistic scenario. Two eVTOL air-taxi systems - diverse in design and acoustics - and one regional sVTOL were acoustically described and implemented in a traffic scenario which was covering the greater area around Munich in southern Germany, interlinking surrounding small towns, five larger cities of the region and the international airport. So far, in most studies generic noise emission data were used to discuss quite complex, but also generic air traffic scenarios. ATEFA did follow a different path, based on realistic technical data and passenger number predictions. Besides this, simulated certification procedures were carried out for the two air-taxi systems. This activity was performed for an understanding of the applicability of already existing rules and regulations regarding noise certification. The project will close by end of 2022, but significant results for air-taxi flyover simulations, large area noise mapping, and certification aspects are already part of this paper.