You might soon be able to call a flying taxi to get home from a night out.
China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will reportedly roll out ‘electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft’ this year.
These vehicles tend to look like futuristic helicopters and the technology very much exists already but regulations have made rolling them out tricky.
An eVTOL could carry out a 22-mile trip in only 10 minutes, as opposed to 45 minutes by car, according to news outlet Nikkei Asia.
China’s flying cab, EH216-S, can carry two people and will mainly be used for sightseeing.
Reaching speeds of 130km an hour, the EH216-S is a solar-powered aircraft controlled by a ground command team using 4G or 5G.
Officials hope the aircraft could become ‘flying first responders’, given that they can land on rooftops or public squares.
Drone manufacturer EHang Intelligent completed the aircraft’s first manned flight of an urban route last month, where it hovered 3,000 metres above Nanjing, a city in eastern China.
The company hopes the cab can be used as a ‘corridor’ between the island province of Hainan and the province of Guangdong, 280 miles away.
Two companies are also introducing air taxi services in the UAE.
In Dubai, the US company Joby Aviation is test-driving an eVTOL that takes flight using six propellers and can accommodate five people.
During a showcase in November at the Dubai Airshow, the vehicle soared from Al Maktoum Airport to the outskirts of Dubai in 15 minutes.
A 22-mile trip, such as from the city’s airport to the islands of Palm Jumeira, would typically take an hour.
Yet by electric air taxi, the journey would take just 10 minutes. Reports suggest the trip would cost about £70.
The aircraft lifts off like a helicopter before shooting off like a plane, capable of carrying a pilot and four passengers at speeds of 200mph.
‘Vertiports’, the air cab equivalent of a taxi rank, are being built at the American University of Dubai, Atlantis the Royal and the Dubai Mall.
A route between Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah will be open next year, according to Joby Aviation.
The American manufacturer Archer Aviation wants its ‘luxury’ taxis to take flight over Abu Dhabi this year, too.
Journeys, which will cost up to £80 for a shared ride and £300 for private, and include:
- Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) and Downtown Abu Dhabi: 15 minutes
- Yas Island and Saadiyat Island: Eight minutes
- Downtown Abu Dhabi and Yas Island: 12 minutes
- Al Reem Island and Saadiyat Island: 10 minutes
Passengers will be able to book via either a private or shared flying cab on an iPhone and Android app, according to tour operator Tiketi.
Japan will see a 100-strong fleet of flying taxis next year, with Joby partnering with carrier ANA Holdings to do so.
The UK won’t be lagging, though, as British company Vertical Aerospace is hoping its Valo aircraft will zip above London by 2028.
The flying taxis will race above the capital at speeds of up to 150mph and cost about the same as a typical Uber ride.
Aviation officials have stressed that a commercial air taxi service might still be a long way off, given the regulatory headaches.
These include infrastructure, concerns over noise and public opinion – most aren’t 100% convinced over driverless cars, let alone flying ones.
Though, the government’s Future of Flight Action Plan concluded that there could be pilotless flying taxi drones in the UK by 2030.
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