PhD Thesis
Ongoing research
Traffic Flow Modeling and Control of Macroscopic Fundamental Diagrams for Low-Altitude Air City Transport
Yazan Safadi
Advisors: Assoc. Prof. Jack Haddad (Technion), Prof. Nikolas Geroliminis (EPFL)
Embedded Files
CEE Seminar
CEE Seminar
Abstract
Abstract
The emerging technologies in Low-Altitude Air City Transport (LAAT) systems promise to transform commuting, medical transport, and emergency response, redefining how people and goods move within and between cities. However, integrating low-altitude aircraft into urban airspace requires advanced traffic management systems to ensure safe, efficient, and sustainable operations. This research focuses on developing traffic flow and feedback control theories to address these challenges. Building upon our initial work on the Macroscopic Fundamental Diagram (MFD) and collective aircraft traffic flow models, a LAAT plant model has been developed that captures both microscopic and macroscopic levels of LAAT operation. Based on the models, a real-time synchronized simulation framework has been implemented to test and evaluate different air mobility concepts. Our research has also focused on optimizing demand and supply in LAAT systems, by modeling queuing dynamics, designing traffic control strategies using model predictive control (MPC) approach, and applying departure and boundary control methods. Alongside this, hierarchical control algorithms have been developed to assess the operations of controlled aircraft for more realistic scenarios. Additionally, our research addresses the challenges of air traffic congestion and energy consumption in LAAT systems. The study explores the relationship between macroscopic energy consumption and traffic flow variables by integrating an energy consumption model (ECM) into the LAAT operational framework, followed by forming a macroscopic energy consumption model used in the optimization of traffic control strategies for efficient and sustainable operations. Lastly, a web-based application is being developed to model, analyze, and optimize air mobility scenarios. The modular tool offers an exploration of low-altitude aircraft behavior in realistic airspace based on the theories and algorithms developed in this thesis, paving the way for groundbreaking solutions in the future of air mobility.
Research Development
A modular tool designed to model, analyze, and optimize air mobility scenarios. Integrating MATLAB, CesiumJS, NodeJS, Express, React, and more, this web-based application simplifies user input for simulation settings and presents results in a realistic airspace environment. The simulation tool offers a comprehensive exploration of low-altitude aircraft behavior in the airspace by deploying a novel modeling framework, paving the way for innovative solutions in the future of air mobility.
Research Outcomes
Safadi Y., Geroliminis N., Haddad J., (2024). Integrated Departure and Boundary Control for Low-altitude Air City Transport Systems.
Safadi Y., Geroliminis N., Haddad J., (2024). Integrated Departure and Boundary Control for Low-altitude Air City Transport Systems.
Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, 103020. doi: 10.1016/j.trb.2024.103020.
Safadi Y., Geroliminis N., Haddad J., (2024). Integrated Departure and Boundary Control for Low-altitude Air City Transport Systems.
Safadi Y., Geroliminis N., Haddad J., (2024). Integrated Departure and Boundary Control for Low-altitude Air City Transport Systems.
ISTTT 25: The 25th International Symposium on Transportation and Traffic Theory, Ann Arbor, USA.
Safadi Y., Haddad J., (2024). Overview and Perspectives of Urban Air Mobility Operation and Simulation Tools.
Safadi Y., Haddad J., (2024). Overview and Perspectives of Urban Air Mobility Operation and Simulation Tools.
IFAC-PapersOnLine, 58(10), 296-301. DOI:10.1016/j.ifacol.2024.07.356. (Part of special issue 17th IFAC Symposium on Control of Transportation Systems CTS 2024: Ayia Napa, Cyprus, July 1-3, 2024).
Safadi Y., Granot A., Haddad J., (2024). A Holistic Framework for Assessing and Optimizing Energy Consumption for Low-Altitude Air City Transport Systems.
Safadi Y., Granot A., Haddad J., (2024). A Holistic Framework for Assessing and Optimizing Energy Consumption for Low-Altitude Air City Transport Systems.
In 2024 European Control Conference (ECC) (pp. 2903-2908). IEEE. DOI: 10.23919/ECC64448.2024.10590770.
Safadi Y., Granot A., Haddad J., (2024). Exploring Energy Consumption for Low-Altitude Air City Transport Systems: A Traffic Flow and Control Perspective.
Safadi Y., Granot A., Haddad J., (2024). Exploring Energy Consumption for Low-Altitude Air City Transport Systems: A Traffic Flow and Control Perspective.
TRBAM 2024: Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, Washington DC, USA.
Safadi Y., Fu R., Quan Q., Haddad J., (2023). Macroscopic Fundamental Diagrams for Low-Altitude Air City Transport.
Safadi Y., Fu R., Quan Q., Haddad J., (2023). Macroscopic Fundamental Diagrams for Low-Altitude Air City Transport.
Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies. DOI: 10.1016/j.trc.2023.104141.
Safadi Y., Geroliminis N., Haddad J., (2023). Aircraft Departures Management for Low Altitude Air City Transport based on Macroscopic Fundamental Diagram.
Safadi Y., Geroliminis N., Haddad J., (2023). Aircraft Departures Management for Low Altitude Air City Transport based on Macroscopic Fundamental Diagram.
In 2023 American Control Conference (ACC) (pp. 4393-4398). IEEE. DOI: 10.23919/ACC55779.2023.10155966.
Haddad J., Zehavi R., Safadi Y., Zameret T., Granot A., (2023). Towards a Comprehensive Simulation Tool for Urban Air Mobility.
Haddad J., Zehavi R., Safadi Y., Zameret T., Granot A., (2023). Towards a Comprehensive Simulation Tool for Urban Air Mobility.
The Israeli Smart Transportation Research Center (ISTRC) Call for White Paper for Required Research Infrastructures 2021/2022.
Safadi Y., Geroliminis N., Haddad J., (2023). Traffic Demand Management for Low Altitude Air City Transport based on Macroscopic Fundamental Diagram.
Safadi Y., Geroliminis N., Haddad J., (2023). Traffic Demand Management for Low Altitude Air City Transport based on Macroscopic Fundamental Diagram.
TRBAM 2023: Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, Washington DC, USA.
Safadi Y., Haddad J., Geroliminis N., (2022). Traffic Flow Modeling and Control of Macroscopic Fundamental Diagrams for Low-Altitude Air City Transport.
Safadi Y., Haddad J., Geroliminis N., (2022). Traffic Flow Modeling and Control of Macroscopic Fundamental Diagrams for Low-Altitude Air City Transport.
STRC 2022: The Swiss Transport Research Conference, Ascona, CH.
Safadi Y., Fu R., Quan Q., Haddad J., (2022). Macroscopic Fundamental Diagrams for Low-Altitude Air City Transport.
Safadi Y., Fu R., Quan Q., Haddad J., (2022). Macroscopic Fundamental Diagrams for Low-Altitude Air City Transport.
hEART 2022: The 10th symposium of the European Association for Research in Transportation, Leuven, BL.
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