Field-to-Lab Validation of Psychoacoustic Metrics for eVTOL/UAS Community Acceptance

Abstract:
The increasing use and development of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for logistics and urban mobility requires acoustic assessment methods that better correlate with human perception and community acceptance than the conventional SPL-based metrics alone. This study presents field-based psychoacoustic measurements of repeated tilt-Octorotor delivery flight operations using a binaural Head and Torso Simulator (HATS). Event segments including lateral approach, takeoff, hover, departure and landing were analyzed using A-weighted SPL, loudness, tonality, fluctuation strength, sharpness, and roughness. Results show strong repeatability across runs and event-dependent signatures within the analysis. Landing produced the highest average loudness (11.65 soneHMS) and sharpness (3.06 acum), while hovering exhibited the highest peak roughness (1.12 asper) and strong tonal persistence. Lateral approach events showed high tonality and sharpness highlighting the directional cues. These findings demonstrate that psychoacoustic metrics provide an improved interpretation of perceived annoyance and support validation workflows for future eVTOL/UAS acoustic design and certification.

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