Friday, May 05, 2023

Air taxi, please! Can urban air mobility get off the ground?

Exciting stuff! The pioneers of aviation are thrilled!

But will it become a noisy affair in urban areas?

"But, while the concept of so-called urban air mobility (UAM) may sound enticing, turning that into reality is far from straightforward. For one thing, the specialist infrastructure required would be mind-boggling: high-voltage electricity networks and safe charging points are merely the basics. Safe segregation from the flight paths of mainstream civil air traffic and autonomous delivery drones would have to be factored in too.
Despite these complexities, a brave new world of electrified UAM appears to be gradually taking shape. McKinsey’s Center for Future Mobility has found that of the 25 largest mainstream aerospace manufacturers and suppliers, 72% and 64% respectively are engaged in future air mobility technologies. Over the past five years, 16,000 VTOL orders, worth around £85bn, have been placed. ..."

Air taxi, please! Can urban air mobility get off the ground? - Raconteur Several EVTOL providers are poised to offer emission-free urban air travel, but they have some significant infrastructure challenges to overcome before they can realise this electric dream



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