HIJACKING MY AIR TAXI: FORECASTING HOMELAND SECURITY THREATS IN AN URBAN AIR MOBILITY ENVIRONMENT
Loading...
Authors
D'Antonio, Adam
Subjects
advanced air mobility
urban air mobility
forecasting
scenarios
eVOTL
AAM
UAM
urban air mobility
forecasting
scenarios
eVOTL
AAM
UAM
Advisors
Wollman, Lauren
Brown, Shannon A.
Date of Issue
2024-09
Date
Publisher
Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) is an evolving aviation capability that deploys highly autonomous aircraft to transport people and cargo. It relies on sophisticated technology and remote piloting. Urban Air Mobility (UAM) applies AAM craft in metropolitan settings as air taxis. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) estimates that UAM operations could launch in the U.S. as early as the year 2028. However, the FAA and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are crafting UAM airspace and cyber frameworks amid situational uncertainty. Policymakers can address the uncertainty regarding novel UAM homeland security threats by forecasting the landscape through epistemic scenarios. Epistemic scenario building is a concept developed for the Royal Dutch/Shell company. It illuminates how and why real-life factors might interact to produce various outcomes. Such an understanding facilitates comprehensive policies. This thesis applies the Shell approach of identifying and combining driving forces, predetermined elements, and critical uncertainties relevant to UAM to craft three threat scenarios: cross-border cargo transport, on-demand access to National Airspace, and hijacking. Each scenario reveals potential UAM homeland security vulnerabilities. Threats are ultimately identified for policymaker consideration including cyber piracy, infrastructure failure, airspace operations, and limitations on the interception of rogue craft by federal, state and local authorities.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Organization
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funding
Format
Citation
Distribution Statement
Distribution Statement A. Approved for public release: Distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.