Goodbye pesky traffic...hello air taxi
Last week German owned Volocopter made it's test flight launch in Dubai with a beautiful, quiet, two seater, driver-less electric powered flying taxi, the AAT (Autonomous Air Taxi). The AAT looks constructed to float effortlessly, with an 18-rotor, wide-diameter circular wingspan, vaguely reminiscent of dandelion seeds. Although the test flight took just five minutes, this emissions-free helicopter drone hybrid, or "multi-copter" is expected to soon be able to take flights up to 30 minutes long and be summoned with a smartphone app like an Uber. Don't we all wish we could hop in a quiet taxi and sail effortlessly over traffic to our destinations?The speed it can travel ranges between 30 and 60 mph, it boasts an effortless and weightless takeoff (for those of us with weak stomachs) and it lands vertically like a helicopter. The company is working with Dubai government and Road and Transportation Authority (RTA) towards it's ambitious plan of 25% autonomous transportation by 2030. There are so many questions we have which only time will tell such as, how safe is this mode of travel, how will drone air traffic be controlled, how much would a ride cost, where will they land, how frequently and how many of these will operate at any given time, and of course, when are they coming to a city near us? These air taxis, born to address traffic frustration, and desire for daily personal human flight would for a time period be a welcome daily pill for the tics of city living; for those fortunate enough to be able to hail one. For a while the coast would be clear for this super cool mode of transportation, until the rest of the pack catches up. There's no doubt other companies are nipping at the heels to provide this service and try to claim the throne as king the market. Self-driving air taxis are already in the works for several well known companies. At first this competition will be a great way for this service to be available in most major cities. Soon enough the skies will be peppered with these flying taxis and who knows, maybe other flying objects. But for now we can imagine a sublime morning commute, and look forward to the day when the air taxi option shows up in our Google maps. Read more here...
