Munich Aeroacoustics Study Shows Fractal Panels Can Reduce Air Taxi Noise

Air taxis are set to take off from city rooftops, with a new study suggesting a potential solution to the noise problem that has plagued these vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft. The research, conducted by Munich Aeroacoustics (MUAA), builds on earlier work by Swinburne University of Technology, indicating that fractal panels could significantly reduce noise levels.

MUAA's study, presented at the Vertical Flight Society Forum 82 in Florida in May 2026, focused on the Aeroberm™ vertipad, a patented modular system developed by Skyportz. The Aeroberm™ features a fractal panel surface designed to dissipate rotor downwash and outwash, addressing the noise concerns associated with air taxis operating from rooftops.

The research involved comparing eight hypothetical pad treatments, each designed to reduce noise, against an untreated pad. The simulations were conducted at ground level and 30 meters above ground, resulting in 18 total simulations. Sound Exposure Level (SEL) was calculated along the flight path centerline, from 100 meters behind the pad to 700 meters along the departure path.

Key findings from the study include: - Treating the pad with the Aeroberm™ fractal panels improved modelled community noise exposure, extending the benefits beyond the vertiport itself. - The largest modelled reductions were behind the vertiport, where the aircraft does not fly over, reaching around 5 dB in the most effective hypothetical configuration. - At the elevated vertiport, benefits extended further: reductions of around 1 dB were still present 300 meters away, where the ground-level case showed none. - Beyond 300 meters, the modelled benefit largely fell away.

MUAA, founded in 2018, draws on more than 20 years of aerospace acoustics research, focusing on aircraft external noise, environmental noise, and noise annoyance. Since 2019, the company has published more than 20 papers on urban air mobility noise.

The results of this study have been submitted as an abstract for the Vertical Flight Society Forum 83 in 2027, co-authored by Dr. Michael Bauer of MUAA and Professor Justin Leontini of Swinburne University of Technology. The priority now is laboratory and sandbox testing to put real numbers on the panel's acoustic performance.

The findings could be a significant step forward in making air taxis more acceptable to urban residents, as noise remains a major concern for the widespread adoption of this technology.