Development and production costs estimation methodology for eVTOL

Urban Air Mobility (UAM) is a new, safe and efficient air transport system in which people and goods are transported by crossing urban areas using electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft. In order for this innovative transportation system to be truly deployed worldwide, it needs to be cost-effective compared to ground-based competitors. Therefore, the goal is to develop a development and production cost estimation model for eVTOL. Several well-known companies are already developing their eVTOL in order to bring them to market as soon as possible. The design data of the different aircraft (powered lift and multicopter) were first obtained by estimating the weight of the individual components, and then the various models were implemented on MatLab software, obtaining as output the estimated costs of the different subsystems. Finally, again using MatLab software, the data obtained was analysed and the main cost drivers were identified which allow the cost equations to be obtained. In the end, the results relating to eVTOL aircraft were compared with its main competitor: the helicopter.