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Two Slovenian companies are inviting cities around the world to compete for deployment of an urban air mobility flight simulator that will help urban planners and residents plan for and become familiar with new VTOL aircraft.
The Arch UAM Global Challenge, run by AV Living Lab and Nervtech, invites cities interested in being UAM first-movers to apply to be one of three finalists that will win their own Nervtech UAM flight demonstrator and a digital twin of their city. Applications are open until the end of February 2021. A panel of judges — which includes members from Airbus UAM, Daimler, Italdesign and other organizations — will announce 10 finalists on March 31 and three winners at the end of May.
Nervtech, which specializes in vehicle simulator technology that collects information on driver performance, is prepared to deploy its UAM simulator in the three most compelling city applicants by the end of September. The device will provide a means for cities to show their citizens firsthand what the experience of a UAM flight will be like and, in turn, understand citizens’ reactions through bio-feedback.
“The ARCH VTOL demonstrator is a full-size cabin with a UAM flight simulator inside,” Daniel Avdagic, founder and CEO of AV Living Lab, told eVTOL.com. “The simulator provides unique operational and functional capabilities of VTOL aircraft, without the need to leave the ground. It helps the citizens to discover how flying in the future will look like — today. So, it will be better than at-home entertainment simulators and not as expensive as certified helicopter simulators.”
The devices include a virtual digital cockpit, fully-electric four-degrees-of-freedom motion system, biometric and physiological sensors, and automated training and instruction process, according to Avdagic, along with customizable terrain, weather and flying conditions. The flight profile included in the simulator won’t be based on any specific aircraft design, but Nervtech is open to working with interested UAM vehicle developers to create tailor-made simulators for their use.
Cities will be selected in part by the resourcing they are willing to provide to the project, including a space to house the simulator and related staff. Ljubljana, Slovenia-based Nervtech will provide the technology. AV Living Lab, opened in April 2018, is a hub for advanced mobility technology and development based in the Slovenian capital.
