ImAFUSA at TSAS 2025: Presenting a Framework for Integrating Urban Air Mobility into Smart Cities

ImAFUSA was proud to recently participate in the Towards Sustainable Aviation Summit (TSAS) 2025 in Toulouse, France, where our partner Anna Palaiologk from Future Needs, presented her research on integrating Urban Air Mobility (UAM) into Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans.

Presenting ImAFUSA Research on UAM Integration

During the summit’s Operations session, Anna Palaiologk, Head of Research and Founder at Future Needs, presented the research paper “Integrating Urban Air Mobility into Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans: A Framework and Occupational Profiles for Smart Cities,” authored with Thanos Arvanitidis.

Download the full paper here (pdf)

The study introduces Sustainable Urban Air Mobility Indicators (SUAMI), a novel framework that extends the well-established Sustainable Urban Mobility Indicators (SUMI) to incorporate UAM considerations.

Drawing on an in-depth qualitative study—including a narrative literature review and expert interviews with stakeholders from the fields of sustainable development, aviation, and urban planning—the SUAMI framework identifies key indicators that assess the environmental, operational, and socioeconomic impacts of UAM.

A second key element of the study is an examination of how UAM will impact workforce requirements, particularly in relation to existing occupational profiles. Using the European Skills, Competences, Qualifications, and Occupations (ESCO) framework—a classification system developed by the European Commission to align education, training, and labor market needs—the research identifies existing occupational profiles that require updates to meet the demands of UAM integration in smart cities.

The authors write, “..adapting these profiles to meet the specific demands of UAM is essential for enhancing workforce readiness, facilitating urban integration, and promoting sustainable smart city ecosystems.”

Anna Palaiologk (left) of Future Needs with colleagues at TSAS 2025

Shaping the Future of Sustainable Urban Mobility

As the aviation sector continues to evolve toward sustainability, the discussions at TSAS underscored the need for innovative frameworks that align with broader urban mobility strategies.

ImAFUSA’s development of the SUAMI framework together with the analysis of occupational profiles thus represent important practical contributions toward enabling cities to harness the potential of UAM without compromising environmental goals or urban infrastructure.

Our thanks to the organisers and participants of the Towards Sustainable Aviation Summit for facilitating insightful discussions and fostering collaboration on the future of sustainable aviation and urban air mobility.

About TSAS

The Towards Sustainable Aviation Summit (TSAS) is an international conference organised by the Association Aéronautique et Astronautique de France (3AF). The summit brings together experts from the aviation sector to explore innovative solutions for achieving a more efficient and environmentally sustainable global air transport system.

Key topics include advancements in aircraft design, operational efficiencies, the use of sustainable fuels, and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and digital transformation.

Authored by: Pavlos Zafiropoulos, Dissemination Manager in Future Needs & Dissemination Leader in the ImAFUSA project.