Demand forecast and energy-aware portal siting for regional air mobility

Regional Air Mobility (RAM) represents a promising component of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), offering fast, short- to medium-range transport services using electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) and electric Short Take-Off and Landing (eSTOL) aircraft. Effective and sustainable RAM deployment requires evidence-based policies for infrastructure siting that balance mobility, environmental, and economic objectives. This study develops a data-driven, mixed-integer programming framework to optimize RAM portal locations, incorporating a novel, census-tract-level demand forecasting model and a location-specific indirect emissions model. Drawing on national and regional datasets, we evaluate multiple siting scenarios in East Tennessee, a region with both rural and urban travel markets. Results demonstrate that strategic portal placement can significantly increase demand capture while reducing carbon dioxide emissions, with electric aircraft showing substantially lower average emissions than conventional jet aircraft in RAM. The findings provide actionable guidance for policymakers and regional planners to integrate RAM into sustainable transport networks and advance net-zero aviation goals.