Analysis of the social acceptance of emerging technology. The case of Urban Air Mobility
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24197/st.2.2025.1-24Keywords:
social acceptance, social studies, emerging technology, society and technology, disruptive technologyAbstract
The emerging technology called Urban Air Mobility is the result of technological innovation in the aviation industry. This new and disruptive mode of air transport (of passengers and cargo), of an exclusively urban and interurban nature, will use vertical takeoff and landing aircraft powered by electric batteries, and will require, as ground support, a new dedicated infrastructure called a vertiport. Various types of services are foreseen for this new mode of transport, both commercial and for public service. Now, although Urban Air Mobility presents relevant opportunities and benefits for communities, one of the main challenges that this emerging technology faces is its social acceptance, since, on the other hand, there are several potential impacts of this new technology (environmental, security, social equity, violations of privacy, land use, etc.). Therefore, this article analyses the social acceptance of Urban Air Mobility using an analytical framework that identifies the fundamental principles whose management and achievement would be key to the social adoption of this emerging public transport technology.
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