Next-Generation Drones for Urban Air Mobility: Advances and Innovations
A special issue of Aerospace (ISSN 2226-4310). This special issue belongs to the section "Aeronautics".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 1010
Special Issue Editors
Interests: internal combustion engines; low tempearture combustions; sustainable aeronautical and space propulsion systems; rapid control prototyping; sustainable mobility; hydrogen based-solutions for aeronautics; sustainable hydrogen-based energy plants
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Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The Special Issue "Next-Generation Drones for Urban Air Mobility: Advances and Innovations" aims to showcase the latest research, advancements, and perspectives in the field of drones and its impact on the next generation of urban air mobility.
Urban air mobility (UAM) is rapidly evolving, driven by advances in next-generation drone technologies. This Special Issue aims to showcase the latest research, innovations, and emerging trends that are shaping the future of drones for UAM. As cities seek sustainable and efficient transportation solutions, drones are increasingly being explored for passenger transport, cargo delivery, and emergency response.
Key areas of focus include novel drone architectures, innovative materials, advanced hybrid and conventional propulsion systems, innovative carbon-neutral and zero-emission fuels, and AI-powered navigation and flight controls. Additionally, developments in communication networks, safety protocols, infrastructures, and autonomous flight technologies are crucial for ensuring the reliability and scalability of the proposed solutions.
By bringing together cutting-edge research and expert insights, this Special Issue will highlight the transformative potential of drones in revolutionizing urban mobility. The goal is to encourage discussions on challenges, opportunities, and the roadmap toward a fully integrated and efficient UAM ecosystem.
The scope of the Special Issue will include, but is not limited to, the following topics:
- Overview of the present and future trends in urban air mobility.
- Novel drone architectures and innovative materials.
- Advanced hybrid and conventional propulsion systems for drones.
- Carbon-neutral and zero-emission fuel technologies for drones.
- AI-powered navigation and flight control systems.
- Vertiports and innovative infrastructure for UAM.
- Developments in communication networks and safety protocols.
- Autonomous flight technologies for improved reliability and scalability.
- Policy, regulatory, and economic aspects of drone adoption in urban air mobility.
We welcome original research articles and review articles that address any of the above topics or related areas. We look forward to receiving high-quality submissions that contribute to the advancement of the field of drones, UAM, and the aerospace industry.
Dr. Giacomo Silvagni
Dr. Daniele Fattizzo
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Aerospace is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- next-generation drones
- urban air mobility (UAM)
- innovative materials
- hybrid and conventional propulsion
- carbon-neutral and zero-emission fuels
- AI-powered navigation
- flight control systems
- communication networks
- safety protocols
- autonomous flight
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