Air taxis could become a viable mode of urban transport in the future, taking cars off the road, saving time and eliminating urban boundaries. The new flying car, which looks like a hybrid of a helicopter and a drone, will initially navigate at a speed of 290 km/h, with the capacity to accommodate a few passengers, including a pilot. It would be equipped with multiple rotors, increasing safety in the event of individual rotor failure, and a parachute system for emergencies.
The aircraft would take off vertically, transition to wing lift in cruise, and then transition back to vertical flight to land. Many inclined rotors in the tail and several other rotors distributed throughout the egg-shaped cabin would facilitate vertical takeoff and landing, which would be quieter than helicopters with combustion engines.
With rotor-powered flight eliminating the need for a runway, and smaller electrically powered rotors producing less noise than a combustion engine helicopter, aerial vehicles could make short flights over or between cities.
Several companies are working in the air taxi domain, including start-ups, drone manufacturers, ride-hailing companies, aircraft manufacturers such as Boeing, Airbus, Bell, Embraer, Joby Aviation and automakers such as Hyundai, Toyota and Porsche. Lilium, one of the most promising startups in the space, hopes to transport passengers between Manhattan and Kennedy International Airport on its fleet of aerial vehicles within five years.
How the concept of smaller aircraft took off
In 1996, the General Aviation Propulsion (GAP) program was started by NASA to encourage and promote the US light aircraft industry. The program aimed to develop more affordable propulsion systems, mainly engines. Williams International teamed up with NASA to develop the FJX-2 turbofan engine. This smallest commercial engine, weighing less than 45.4 kg (100 lbs), paved the way for the development of a new class of light aircraft.
In 1998, Williams International president and founder Dr. Sam Williams joined with businessman Vern Raburn to form Eclipse Aviation Corporation, which developed the very light jet (VLJ) called the Eclipse 500 jet airliner in 2005.
In 2001, NASA and the aerospace industry came together to harness the potential of light jet aircraft manufacturing. This led to the birth of the Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS), under which air taxis could make a quick and hassle-free plane journey, obviating the need to spend long, agonizing hours on the highway.
Later, in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Consortium for Aviation Mobility (NCAM), NASA created the Advanced General Aviation Transport Experiment (AGATE) program. AGATE aimed to develop the technology needed to support the air taxi concept, enabling safe and affordable access to nearly every runway in the United States.
The air taxi segment has gained momentum since 2016 as part of the growing field of personal aerial vehicles such as passenger drones.
Air taxi operations are governed in the US by Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR). Canada regulates air taxi operations under Canadian Aviation Regulation 703. Both single-engine commercial aircraft and multi-engine helicopters flown during daylight hours, visual flight rules by one pilot, as well as all multi-engine, non-turbojet, takeoff aircraft Maximum weight 8,618 kg are covered by this regulation.
Hyundai and Uber team up for air transportation sharing network
Significantly, Hyundai has partnered with Uber to devise a concept for a future air taxi service that offers a small commercial aircraft for short, on-demand flights. The concept is called Urban Air Mobility (UAM), in which small electric passenger vehicles would utilize the airspace above cities. In the UAM concept, the vehicles would be piloted in the early stages of commercialization, but could eventually travel autonomously, like personal drones. The concept further builds on emerging eVTOL (Electric Vertical Take-off and Landing) technology.
At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) held in Las Vegas in January 2020, the two companies announced that they were joining forces to develop an all-electric air taxi that would be part of a future “shared aerial network.” Hyundai would help produce and deploy the aircraft, while Uber would provide airspace support, ground operations and, of course, the app through which customers can book flights.
Hyundai's S-A1 concept car is designed to cruise 1,000 to 2,000 feet above the ground, making trips of up to 60 miles with four passengers and a pilot on board.
The Korean manufacturer plans to build ground infrastructure to support a flying taxi service. The concept includes a “hub” structure with a landing platform on top and an adaptive minibus called a “purpose-built vehicle” (PBV). These PPVs can be customized to suit different functions, such as coffee shop and medical clinic. They would be used for ground transportation to and from the station, whilst transporting passengers from the boarding point to the hub for take-off. Resembling a beige rectangle and utilizing AI to find optimal routes and travel in squads, PBVs are constructed from lightweight carbon composite materials. They feature an interior loaded with technology for passenger entertainment and comfort.
Hyundai proposes to combine its manufacturing expertise with Uber's technology platform to launch a vibrant air taxi network in the coming years under Uber Elevate, the company's air transportation division. While Amazon's drone delivery program may take years to materialize, you can probably hail an Uber Elevate to the club the next time you're in a city like Miami or New York.
Uber is one of the companies leading eVTOL and has presented several aerial vehicle concepts in recent years. In addition to Hyundai, its partners include Aurora Flight Sciences, a subsidiary of Boeing, Embraer, Joby Aviation, Jaunt, Pipistrel, Karem Aircraft and several real estate companies. Previously, it also collaborated with NASA and Bell Helicopter. Uber has reached agreements with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to develop ideas related to the infrastructure and technology of an unmanned aerial network.
In fact, Uber has long teased the idea of a shared flying car that could come to fruition sooner than you think. After investing heavily in developing a flying taxi that can transport people from one place to another easily and safely, the company plans to launch an urban air taxi system by the mid-2020s, starting in Dallas, Texas, and Los Angeles. , California. . Uber will offer air travel in New York, from lower Manhattan to John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Uber sees the partnership with Hyundai as an opportunity to leverage the automaker's mass production capabilities to create a service that is both accessible and affordable. And Hyundai would like to position itself as a “smart mobility solutions provider” and not just a car manufacturer.
Advantages of Air Taxi
Air taxi service offers several distinct advantages, some of which include:
- Less cargo at major airports
- Fewer traffic jams on highways
- Offering travelers flexibility in travel times
- Latest departure and arrival points
- Reduced costs in smaller airline operations
Among their other advantages, air taxis could provide an economic boom, increasing the number of people heading to recreational and tourist destinations that are not close to major airports.
Concerns and challenges
Although the air taxi system has gradually evolved, many challenges face it. While the UAM is the latest in a long line of “flying car” concepts, eVTOL technology is still in its infancy, with only a few companies like Boeing and Lilium testing a prototype.
Air taxi players face enormous regulatory and technical challenges in launching their respective services. There are dozens of obstacles that these companies must overcome on the long road to regulatory approval. According to a Morgan Stanley report, air taxis will likely first be used in package delivery, which has fewer technical and regulatory barriers.
Building a quiet, safe and cost-effective air taxi will mean overcoming numerous technical and engineering hurdles. For one, battery technology is limited, and for another, the cost of operation and maintenance needs to be low enough to make the tours commercially viable.
While air taxi fares may decrease as the system matures and expands, they will initially cost significantly more than traditional air travel. In the initial phase, air taxis may attract mainly business travelers and others who don't mind paying extra expenses to save time.
Safety of operations is another concern that is likely to trouble air taxi travelers. They will also be concerned about the ability of local landing centers or airports to handle the fleet of smaller aircraft. The latest computer and electronic technology can help manufacturers increase the safety and reliability of their aircraft. They also need to utilize advances in navigation and air traffic control for the smooth operation of light aerial vehicles.
In short
Air taxi service may begin on a small scale in the coming years, but it will be many years before air taxi travel stops being a new choice and becomes a common practice. Another bottleneck is the lack of synergy between technological advances for small airport infrastructure and the development of light aircraft.
However, analysts expect urban air taxis – powered by electricity, with minimal noise and vertical take-off and landing capabilities – to be common by 2040, with the global market expected to be between 1.4 billion and 2.0 billion in size. 9 billion dollars at that time. So be open to taking advantage of air taxis that will allow you to travel faster and more conveniently than ever before.
