Boeing CEO: Flying taxis to become a reality in the next ten years

Anca Alexe 05/03/2018 | 10:36

The CEO of Boeing, one of the largest aerospace companies in the world, believes that cities will start introducing air transport on short distances over the next decade.

Dennis Muilenburg believes that the so-called flying taxis will become a reality much sooner than we imagine, according to News.ro.

There are already functional prototypes at the moment, and the necessary technology is available. The era of urban flying vehicles is close enough for authorities to begin thinking about the rules of the future 3D roads, says Muilenburg.

The Boeing CEO isn’t alone in his optimism. He is also supported by a recent study by Deloitte, which talks about 2-5 seat commercial drones which will look like an evolved version of current helicopters and will enter the market starting 2020.

Last year, Boeing bought Aurora Flight Sciences, a company that develops flying taxis together with Uber, another important name which invests both in autonomous vehicles as well as in flying vehicles.

Aurora is active in the field ever since the 1980s and has in its portfolio one of the most advanced flying cars – an autonomous electric flying vehicle, called eVTOL. The first public drive-tests of eVTOL will begin in two years.

Boeing’s main rival, Airbus, is also experimenting in this area and even seems to be a step ahead. A3, the Sillicon Valley branch of Airbus, has already finalised the first test of the Vahana autonomous taxi.

Due to numerous complications and safety measures that need to be taken, it is likely that the air transport of persons in cities will be preceded by drones that transport goods, such as the ones used by Amazon for deliveries.