Regional-Scale Multi-Modal Service Optimization for Innovative Air Mobility

By 2050, ninety percent of European travelers are expected to complete door-to-door journeys within 4 hours, requiring expanded transport infrastructure coverage, partic- ularly in rural areas where 19.2% of the population resides. Innovative Air Mobility (IAM), which enhances connectivity with minimal infrastructure, offers a promising solution. Building on this potential, this paper presents a passenger-centric IAM service optimization framework that models the multi-modal network as a time-expanded graph and sequentially optimizes passenger journeys and IAM dispatching strategies using A* search and dynamic programming. A simulation based on the Catalan Pyrenees validates the framework, demonstrating its effectiveness in generating optimal IAM dispatch strategies and supporting multi-modal schedule coordination. Based on the findings, this paper offers recommendations for future IAM development, including per-vehicle capacity planning, pricing strategies to avoid direct competition with existing transport modes, and other operational considerations.