A Look Into The Not-So-Distant Future!
It turns out that The Jetsons were roughly 60 years ahead of their time! (Image: Hanna-Barbera Productions).
The next 5-10 years will witness one of the most significant advances in air travel in nearly half a century. Assuming that the remaining technical and regulatory hurdles can be cleared, people will soon have the ability to soar over congested cities in battery-powered vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. The era of the “flying car” is not far off.
Urban Air Mobility
The entire concept is called Urban Air Mobility (UAM) and it promises to revolutionize the way we might travel short distances. Electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (EVTOL) aircraft are modern technology’s answer to the helicopter, made possible by advances in propulsion, systems, safety and navigation. The initial roll out of services will be aimed squarely at business travelers whose time is precious, as well as high net income individuals. It is EVTOL’s broader potential however that makes this an intriguing concept.
EVTOL Aircraft
Something out of the movie Avatar? No, this is the City Airbus from European aircraft manufacturer Airbus and one of the first prototype EVTOL aircraft. (Airbus photo)
Battery electric aircraft will have a virtually non-existent noise footprint, zero emissions, and lower operating cost. This will enable them to service locations currently off limits to, or impractical for conventional helicopters. These new aircraft will operate from “vertiports”, situated within and surrounding urban areas including building rooftops, airports, sports venues and medical facilities. It is envisioned that many existing heliports will be converted to vertiports.
Broad Industry Participation
Unlike helicopters, which remain a niche product due to their high operating costs, the market ultimately envisioned for EVTOL is much larger and thus requires a complete change of mindset. If ride sharing services (some of which are pumping millions of dollars into EVTOL research and development) have their way, flying taxis will one day be available to the mass market. Major manufacturers including Boeing, Airbus, Bell, Sikorsky, and a number of smaller companies along with NASA are currently conducting EVTOL research.
A prototype EVTOL design from Germany’s Volocopter. Notice the similarity to a pilot-less drone. (Volocopter photo)
Coming Soon To a Major City Near You
New York, Los Angeles, Sao Paolo, London, Paris, Mumbai, Tokyo and several other cities already have some form of helicopter services available, usually between a limited number of heliports and major airports. It is these markets where UAM projects are initially focused. A joint venture between UK-based Skyports and German EVTOL manufacturer Volocopter recently unveiled the world’s first “Voloport” in Singapore as a means of demonstrating urban integration.
The path to mass acceptance of UAM will depend on a number of factors, first and foremost being investment and support from cities. Public-private partnerships have been proposed as a means of developing the requisite network of landing sites. According to a recent study, between US $50 million and $2 billion in infrastructure spending will be required depending on the size of the city (NEXA Partners). That’s no small amount when so many other priorities are on the table, and the public will need to be convinced that UAM is both safe and worthy of investment.
For now, ELEVATE.
Until that time comes ELEVATE is connected to major helicopter services in cities around the world, some of which provide airport to city connections for under US $200 a seat. Should your time sensitive travel require a ride to the city center contact us for a quote!