Will Flying Taxis Ever Take Off? Do you think it will ‘Elevate’ the Future of Transportation?

Top automakers are investigating the potential of urban mobility in the aviation business while simultaneously implementing autonomous capabilities into cutting-edge automobiles. The rapid evolution of the transportation sector is mirrored by the emergence of ideas like air taxis.

As more and more people move to metropolitan areas, traffic management has become a major problem for the transportation sector. Therefore, alongside the recent breakthrough developments in completely autonomous vehicles, air taxis are emerging as a new class of autos that is set to transform the future of mobility. Automobile manufacturers’ entry into the UAM ‘environment’ is stimulating new ideas for flying cab designs.

Although the concept of a “flying car” or “e-air taxi” sounds like something out of science fiction, the reality is that such vehicles are very close to being available to the public. This essay delves into the realities of UAM’s current research and innovation activities and how they can bring the future of air taxis closer than anyone could have anticipated.

The Revolutionary Concept of Air Taxi: Reality or Fiction?

There will soon be a vehicle that combines the advantages of a plane and an automobile. It’s okay to laugh now; your time will come.Henry Ford, creator of the Ford Motor Company, predicted the development of flying automobiles as far back as 1940, and now, 80 years later, the world is poised to see his vision come to fruition. The future of UAM and air taxis is bright as new technologies merge to make them more feasible and marketable.

Automakers are investigating the possibility of VTOL technology in the development of air taxis in response to the rising demand for faster, cleaner, safer, and more reasonably priced modes of transportation. Additionally, the development of electric VTOL (eVTOL) is allowing automakers to make three-dimensional electric mobility a reality with the introduction of cutting-edge battery technology. It is anticipated that in the future years, air taxis will become a reality thanks to the coming together of the car sector and the electric aviation business.

The idea of air taxi is based on the combination of automobile electrification with aviation, with current developments in eVTOL aircraft development being the cutting edge of air taxi design. It is anticipated that advancements in battery technology and energy management systems will have a significant impact on the integration of eVTOL technology into next-generation air taxi aircraft.

What is Happening in the Industry?

Numerous industries, including aviation, the automotive industry, and the shared mobility business, are racing to be the first to enter the worldwide market for air taxis. Companies like Uber, Porsche, and Boeing are putting a lot of money into developing safer and more cost-effective versions of autonomous air taxis. Although there aren’t many other players in the air taxi sector just yet, competition is expected to heat up as more companies enter the fray.

Airbus is a pioneer in the field of aircraft design, and its CityAirbus and Vahana models are two examples of their innovative take on the air taxi market. The eVTOL-powered CityAirbus completed its maiden voyage in May of this year. The company hopes to begin offering rides in its air taxi vehicles by 2020 for Vahana and by 2023 for City Airbus.

Another new entrant is Lilium, a Munich-based startup that introduced an on-demand air taxi service in May 2019 using a five-seater prototype. The company’s all-eVTOl gadget, Lilium Jet, can travel up to 300 kilometers without refueling. In May of this year, the business claimed that by 2025, they plan to commercially operate an emission-free air taxi that can take off and land in the same spot.

In 2019, another German startup, Volocopter, debuted its own version of an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi, dubbed the VoloCity. It’s an 18-rotor electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft that can carry two people and travel at speeds up to 70 miles per hour. The corporation has stated that the creation of an appropriate environment and infrastructure, including an effective air traffic control system, is its next priority.

Although the number of companies actively involved in the global air taxi sector is growing rapidly, some major obstacles are causing the globe to question the viability of air taxis.

Hurdles in Making Air Taxis a Reality

While confidence in the eventual arrival of air taxis is at an all-time high, many significant hurdles must be cleared before they can be introduced to the public.The European Union Air Safety Agency (EASA) and other international organizations’ norms and standards provide a significant obstacle. Despite widespread support from governments, the new air taxi modules will continue to be influenced by strict deployment and safety requirements.

Concerns have been raised concerning the long-term viability of air taxi service due to the intricacy of air traffic management and the manual approach it takes due to human controllers. The current infrastructure can handle trials, but it’s not yet up to the efficiency standards of a commercial enterprise. In addition to these, the most pressing technological issues for the air taxi industry are noise cancellation and battery energy density.

However, given the rate at which the market is changing, air taxis are predicted to have a brighter future in the next decade. To enter the future of totally electric and driverless vehicles, the automobile industry is merging with the electronics and telecommunications and Information Technology (IT) sectors. The sky is the limit for advancements in the air taxi industry, as the results of continuous research and development technologies will eventually demonstrate.