The Maximum Coverage Model and Recommendation System for UAV Vertiports Location Planning

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel optimization framework and recommendation system for planning UAV vertiport locations, effectively addressing urban demand, capacity, and socio-economic factors, validated through a case study in China.

Contribution

It proposes the Capacitated Dynamic Maximum Covering Location Problem (CDMCLP) and an integrated planning system that combines data-driven modeling with socio-economic considerations for UAM infrastructure.

Findings

Traditional location methods improve by 38-52% with CDMCLP.

The recommendation system demonstrates user-friendliness and practical applicability.

Validation in a Chinese city confirms the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

Abstract

As urban aerial mobility (UAM) infrastructure development accelerates globally, cities like Shenzhen are planning large-scale vertiport networks (e.g., 1,200+ facilities by 2026). Existing planning frameworks remain inadequate for this complexity due to historical limitations in data granularity and real-world applicability. This paper addresses these gaps by first proposing the Capacitated Dynamic Maximum Covering Location Problem (CDMCLP), a novel optimization framework that simultaneously models urban-scale spatial-temporal demand, heterogeneous user behaviors, and infrastructure capacity constraints. Building on this foundation, we introduce an Integrated Planning Recommendation System that combines CDMCLP with socio-economic factors and dynamic clustering initialization. This system leverages adaptive parameter tuning based on empirical user behavior to generate practical planning solutions. Validation in a Chinese center city demonstrates the effectiveness of the new optimization framework and recommendation system. Under the evaluation and optimization of CDMCLP, the quantitative performance of traditional location methods are exposed and can be improved by 38\%--52\%, while the recommendation system shows user-friendliness and the effective integration of complex elements. By integrating mathematical rigor with practical implementation considerations, this hybrid approach bridges the gap between theoretical location modeling and real-world UAM infrastructure planning, offering municipalities a pragmatic tool for vertiport network design.