Measuring U-Space Social and Environmental Impact

The goal of MUSE is to develop a set of key performance indicators, methods and tools for the comprehensive and rigorous assessment of the impact of UAM operations on the liveability and quality of life in European cities, with particular focus on drone-generated noise and visual pollution. This general goal translates into the following specific objectives:1.

To define a set of U-Space social and environmental KPIs able to capture the full range of UAM's impacts on citizens quality of life with the highest possible level of geographical, temporal, demographic, socioeconomic and behavioural resolution2. To develop new methods and tools for the measurement and forecasting of the proposed KPIs.

The new toolset will provide accurate drone 4D trajectory generation in urban areas, modelling of UAMs noise and visual footprints, high-resolution dynamic population mapping and calculation of population exposure indicators segmented by type of day and time of the day, citizens sociodemographic profile, type of activity being performed and other relevant variables.3.

To showcase and evaluate the capabilities of the new methods and tools developed by MUSE through their application to a set of case studies in one or more European cities.4.

To create the conditions for the transfer of the project results to the subsequent stages of the R&I cycle by outlining a new SESAR Solution, the MUSE U-Space Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Framework, that serves as an enabler of a future U-Space service aimed at optimising the social and environmental performance of UAM operations.