What makes Innovative Air Mobility visually pollutant?

Abstract

Innovative Air Mobility (IAM) has the potential to assist the amelioration of several mobility and logistics issues. Several barriers have been identified to its implementation and any potential negative impacts need to be minimized before the deployment of IAM services. Visual pollution has been designated as one of these barriers with potential negative impacts. This study aims to explore the concept of visual pollution in the IAM context and identify its determinant aspects. Data was collected through focus groups and a thematic analysis was conducted. The key aspects that arose as components of visual pollution in the context of IAM were related to three main areas (drone properties, human-drone interactions, dynamic visual effects) and specifically concerned the colour, the size, the design of the drone, the noise it produces, the drone's altitude, distance from people, type of flight area, shadows, drone quantity, flight schedule and air space structure. The most frequently mentioned topics among the participants were the type of flight area, the colour of a drone, its noise, the altitude it flies, the drone density, the structure of U-space and the purpose of the flight. The results provide insights that can assist policy makers and regulators with the definition of U-space characteristics, measures that can enhance social acceptance and policies to be formulated in the framework of mobility plans.