Investigating eVTOL Passenger Preferences in South Korea: Safety, Vertiport Location, and Weight

As the industry advances towards the technical realization of passenger drones, there is a noticeable trend where the wishes and acceptance factors of future users are not given primary consideration. Although several companies are progressing with prototype development and market-entry preparations, ongoing research on the requirements for electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) vehicles remains crucial. For such a novel form of aerial transportation, understanding passenger needs is key, as their acceptance and willingness to use these services will ultimately drive revenue for manufacturers and airlines. To this end, our study, involving 51 participants in South Korea, delved into three key areas of user acceptance: safety considerations of eVTOLs, preferred vertiport locations, and concerns about weight. The findings indicate that piloted passenger drones are acceptable to the public, particularly when they assure safety and offer sufficient luggage storage, among other factors. These insights are vital for the engineering design and development of eVTOLs, highlighting opportunities for weight and energy savings by aligning with passenger preferences and requirements.