Developing Simulation Frontiers for Future Urban Air Mobility Safety Investigation

城市空中机动性(UAM，也称为高级空中机动性)是一个新兴的概念，它设想了一个可持续、负担得起和可访问的空中运输系统，用于在大都市地区内或穿越大都市地区进行应急管理、货物运送和乘客移动性。然而，安全性是阻碍UAM发展和被公众接受的最具挑战性的方面，到目前为止，还没有标准的UAM安全评估方法。考虑到UAM固有的不确定性，包括城市大气湍流和制造误差的非线性影响，这个博士生将致力于设计新的方法来应对UAM安全方面的挑战。这项研究将基于现有的旋翼机飞行动力学模型(用C++编写)，使用最先进的空气动力学建模技术和多代理建模方法，以提高模拟的可行性，特别是在危险情况下。该研究还将利用先进的逆向模拟算法和不确定性量化方法创建一种定量的安全评估方法。该项目对申请者来说是一个令人兴奋的机会，可以开发涉及空气动力学、飞行动力学和自动驾驶系统的创新技术。它还帮助申请者与学术界、工业界和适航监管机构建立合作，为下一代垂直起降(VTOL)飞机开发新型航空安全解决方案。

Urban Air Mobility (UAM, also known as advanced air mobility) is an emerging concept that envisions a sustainable, affordable, and accessible air transportation system for emergency management, cargo delivery, and passenger mobility within or traversing a metropolitan area. However, safety is the most challenging aspect impeding the UAM development and corresponding public Acceptance, and, to date, no standard UAM safety assessment method has been developed. This PhD studentship will aim to design novel methods to tackle the challenge in the UAM safety considering their inherent uncertainties, including the urban atmospheric turbulence and the non-linear influences of the manufacturing errors. The research will develop based on existing rotorcraft flight dynamics model (written in C++) using state-of-the-art aerodynamics modelling technologies and the multi-agent modelling method to improve simulation feasibility, especially for hazardous situations. The research will also create a quantitative safety assessment methodology using advanced inverse simulation algorithm and uncertainty quantification approach. The project represents an exciting opportunity for the applicant to develop innovative technology involving aerodynamics, flight dynamics, and autonomous system. It also assists the applicant in establishing collaboration with academia, industry, and airworthiness regulators to develop novel aviation safety solutions for the next generation VTOL (Vertical-TakeOff-and-Landing) aircraft.