Passenger Evaluations of UAM Rotational Flight Motion in a Virtual Reality Motion Simulator

Urban Air Mobility (UAM) vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) air taxis might exhibit flight motions that are unfamiliar to many passengers. Researchers at the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center performed a study to identify relationships between rotational flight motion and passenger comfort and acceptance. Fifty test subjects each completed a 20-min passenger experience in a virtual air taxi simulation. Subjects evaluated flight maneuvers with varying levels of rotational motion and indicated their comfort level and willingness to take a real flight with the motion they experienced. Study factors included yaw rate, pitch rate, and roll rate. Participants evaluated four levels of each study factor. The study found linear relationships for each study factor showing a decrease in passenger comfort and acceptance with increased motion. Statistical significance of the results, the possible influence of participants’ backgrounds and experiences, and other potential sources of bias in the study population are discussed.