Sustainability of Urban Low-Altitude Transportation Infrastructure: Environmental Impacts, Carbon Reduction Pathways, and Policy Optimization

Abstract

While urban low-altitude transportation infrastructure is recognized as a driver of economic growth and transportation upgrading, its sustainability, particularly environmental impacts and carbon footprint, remains underexplored. This study focuses on the sustainability of urban low-altitude transportation infrastructure, systematically analyzing its environmental impacts (including noise pollution, electromagnetic radiation, and ecological disruption) and exploring carbon reduction pathways through a global comparative study of 15 pilot cities across China, the United States, the European Union, and Southeast Asia. The research employs a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach to quantify the carbon emissions of different infrastructure components (take-off and landing facilities, energy supply systems, and air traffic management systems) and identifies key influencing factors of sustainability. The results indicate that renewable energy-powered infrastructure and intelligent energy management systems can reduce carbon emissions by 40%-55% compared to traditional fossil energy-dependent models; meanwhile, optimized flight path planning and noise mitigation technologies can reduce the negative environmental impact by 30%. Based on the findings, targeted policy suggestions are proposed to promote the sustainable development of low-altitude transportation infrastructure, including establishing a comprehensive environmental impact assessment system, improving carbon emission accounting standards, and strengthening international cooperation on green low-altitude technologies. This study enriches the research on low-altitude transportation infrastructure from a sustainability perspective and provides theoretical and practical references for the green transformation of urban transportation systems worldwide.