Project Number: PSR-25-SP05
Funding Source: USDOT
Total Cost: $45,000
Performance Period: January 2026 - June 2026

Project Description:

The Los Angeles region has long been projected as a testing ground for urban air mobility, comprised of air taxis and drone delivery, given the region’s favorable climate, traffic problems, and tech-savvy ecosystem. The LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games present an opportunity to make such a testing ground a reality. This project will model the potential for mode shifts, from ground to air taxi modes, with the LA28 Games as an initial case study. Modeling mode shift requires modeling the operation of an air taxi system. For that reason, this project will develop algorithms for optimal dispatch operation of a network of air taxis during LA28 and thereafter, and use those results to study the resulting mode shift from other ground-based modes of transportation. The results of this research can inform the work of the White House Task Force on the 2028 Summer Olympics (Established by Executive Order 14328), which includes the Secretary of Transportation. The results will also be relevant to both the public and private sector entities planning Olympic Games travel. By developing improved dispatch operation models for air taxis in a major urban area, and then predicting mode shifts from/to other ground modes, this research will also develop knowledge that will be helpful throughout Region 9 and the U.S. and which can help accelerate the maturing of the air taxi sector.