Head of UAM Strategy Execution & Partnerships for Airbus, Balkiz Sarihan, recently cited an EASA study from May 2021: 83% of respondents showed a positive attitude towards UAM, with 71% ready to use it. She said study respondents’ concerns include safety, security, noise, and impact on wildlife. Currently the Airbus team members are writing eVTOL certification standards to ensure safety for future aircraft. They are also testing in the Paris ecosystem.
“Airbus, ADP, RATP and other key stakeholders in the Paris region have come together to drive the development of this new mobility service,” Sarihan said. “This partnership gives us access to assets like the Pontoise sandbox to test the conditions of public acceptance in this ecosystem. This is also a major opportunity to build on the Airbus site specialization, by leveraging the expertise of Airbus Paris le Bourget site for NextGen’s blades for example.”