Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

5-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Department

Systems Engineering

Committee Chair

Carlos Montalvo, Ph.D

Advisor(s)

Sean Walker, Ph.D., J. Thomas Wade, Ph.D., Bhushan Lohar, Ph.D.

Abstract

In this work, an overarching conceptual design model towards the realization of a proposed Advanced Air Mobility Post–Disaster Response System (AAMPDR system) was explored through the focal lenses of systems thinking (ST), socio–technical systems (STS) and model–based systems engineering (MBSE) paradigms. Initially aimed at providing intervention for casualties and aerial support to emergency rescue workers on the ground in the event of a hurricane disaster around the Gulf shore of the Mobile bay area, Mobile city, AL., the scope of this research subsequently expanded to include a global outlook. Thereafter, culminating in the development of a generalized AAMPDR system model and architecture that is adoptable, implementable and adaptable by humanitarian providers around the world regardless of the type of disaster event or location where the said event may occur. In the opening Chapter I, the general knowledge, key concepts, distinctions, and definitions with regard to Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) were introduced. Likewise, preliminary systems engineering efforts were enumerated, including the needs identification and requirement elicitation. Moreover, in Chapter I and later in Chapter II, the STS viewpoints were briefly considered as well as the different physical and digital interfaces that relate to the AAMPDR system. Suffice to mention that Chapter II also documents a comprehensive account of the existing body of literature and knowledge gaps that this research work sought to fill as it pertained to the AAMPDR system. Chapter III represents an exhaustive review of the state of play regarding the history, classification, and general application of AAM platforms from a systems engineering context. The following Chapter IV covered the ST aspects as they relate to the system of interest, AAMPDR system. These discussions also examined the applications of two ST tools namely mind map and TRIZ to problems associated with the emergence of AAMs including the Title 14 CFR Part 107 ‘Above Ground Rule’ (AGL) rule and the effects of 5G C–band infrastructure roll–out on future operations of the AAM concept vehicles. Chapter V focused on the application of the MBSE methodology in developing work products associated with the left–hand side of the ubiquitous ‘V’ systems engineering lifecycle. Thus, resulting in at least one (1) artifact from each of the nine (9) types of systems modeling language (SysML) and five (5) types of unified architecture framework modeling language (UAFML) artifacts. These included more than one hundred (100) systems requirements organized into requirement diagrams and tables, stakeholder requirements, use case, activity, state machine, and parametric diagrams, as well as operational and resource views, respectively, to mention but a few. Chapter VI treated the subject of measures of effectiveness (MOE) with regard to the AAMPDR system. This was accomplished by considering several candidate systems or alternatives and analyzing their suitability through a scale preference using firstly, a Pugh matrix and weighted–sum approach and secondly, a hybrid combination of the Monte Carlo Method (MCM) and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). The penultimate Chapter VII is an overarching summary of this present work followed by Chapter VIII highlighting the future works and finally the Appendices documenting supplementary work products accomplished in this research.

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