Electric air taxis to begin real-world tests in US, cargo before passengers

Good news! Waymo move over! Lift me up! Exciting times! 😊

"Electric air taxis are closer to reality as companies such as Joby Aviation, Archer Aviation and Beta Technologies prepare for real-world tests under the Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing and Advanced Air Mobility Integration Pilot Program. Joby, backed by Toyota, Uber and Delta Air Lines, plans to start with cargo transport before moving to passenger tests, while Archer aims to begin commercial operations by the 2028 Summer Olympics."

IEEE-USA SmartBrief

Electric air taxis are finally ready for takeoff (behind paywall)

Joby Air Taxi to Transform Urban Mobility in Dubai

Good news! Magic, flying carpets of the famous One Thousand and One Nights are becoming reality in the Middle East! 😊

"Summary

• Joby Aviation is realizing Uber’s original “Elevate” dream, moving electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft from science fiction toward commercial reality.
• By 2026, Joby aims to inaugurate the world’s first integrated air taxi network—in Dubai—leveraging aggressive local infrastructure investment to bypass Western bureaucratic hurdles.
• The plan includes “vertiports” at strategic hubs like Dubai International Airport, creating the essential physical and digital ecosystem required for reliable point-to-point urban flight.
• While facing a cautious FAA in the U.S., Joby will use its Dubai operations to bridge the gap between experimental testing and full-scale passenger operations.

..."

First Air Taxi Service to Launch in Dubai in 2026

The Joby S4 electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft flew near the city of Dubai during a demonstration in November 2025.

First commercial flying car now in production by Alef in California

Good news!

READY FOR TAKEOFF: Inside the race to make personal flying cars a reality

Recommendable!

The $190K ‘Flying Car’ by Pivotal That Doesn’t Require a Pilot’s License

Very nice! However, only 20 minutes or 20 miles flight time/distance. It is not allowed to fly over congested areas. Maybe the next iteration of this flying car will be better.

Kirigami-inspired parachute falls on target

Amazing stuff! Out with the origami, in with the kirigami! Just kidding!

"Inspired by the Japanese art of kirigami, researchers in Canada and France have designed a parachute that can safely and accurately deliver its payloads when dropped directly above its target. Tested in realistic outdoor conditions, the parachute’s deformable design stabilizes the airflow around its porous structure, removing the need to drift as it falls. With its simple and affordable design, the parachute could have especially promising uses in areas including drone delivery and humanitarian aid. ..."

"... a laser is working away inside a large metal box. The beam moves over a thin sheet of plastic, cutting it with surgical precision along a computer-charted path.  

In about ten minutes, the laser has finished the job ... removes the intricately cut sheet from the box. It’s round, about 20 centimetres in diameter, and as springy as a Slinky, but it isn’t a toy. Attach a weight to the centre and you have a parachute. ..."

From the abstract:

"The art of kirigami allows programming a sheet to deform into a particular manner with a pattern of cuts, endowing it with exotic mechanical properties and behaviours.

Here we program discs to deform into stably falling parachutes as they deploy under fluid–structure interaction.

Parachutes are expensive and delicate to manufacture, which limits their use for humanitarian airdrops or drone delivery.

Laser cutting a closed-loop kirigami pattern in a disc induces porosity and flexibility into an easily fabricated parachute.

By performing wind tunnel testing and numerical simulations using a custom flow-induced reconfiguration model, we develop a design tool to realize kirigami-inspired parachutes.

Guided by these results, we fabricate parachutes from the centimetre to the metre scale and test them in realistic conditions.

We show that at low load-to-area ratios, kirigami-inspired parachutes exhibit a comparable terminal velocity to conventional ones.

However, unlike conventional parachutes that require a gliding angle for vertical stability and fall at random far from a target, our kirigami-inspired parachutes always fall near the target, regardless of their initial release angle.

These kinds of parachutes could limit material losses during airdropping as well as decrease manufacturing costs and complexity."

Kirigami-inspired parachute falls on target – Physics World

A parachute from Polytechnique Montréal lands in "Nature" (original news release)

Kirigami-inspired parachutes with programmable reconfiguration (no public access, but article above contains link to PDF)

With a bottle attached

The Forgotten Montgolfiere hot air balloon Flight of 1783

Recommendable!

FAA Fast Tracks Rollout of Air Taxis

Good news! When will we see the first traffic jams in the air? 😊

"The Federal Aviation Administration announced Friday it is launching a fast-tracked pilot program to speed up the rollout of air taxis.

Archer Aviation and Joby Aviation, both major players in the electric vertical takeoff and landing, or eVTOL, space, said they are participating in the program. Shares of each were higher on Friday.

Officials said the commitment is expected to create high-paying manufacturing jobs, expand economic opportunities, and deliver futuristic air taxis to transform travel and product transport.

The action follows a Trump administration executive order calling for “American drone dominance,” beginning with this Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Integration Pilot Program."

Saturday, September 13, 2025 - Join The Flyover

From flying carpets to flying cars/taxis in Saudi Arabia

Good news! What about a pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina? 😊

"Joby Aviation has reached a tentative deal with investor and Saudi Arabian conglomerate Abdul Latif Jameel (ALJ) to distribute up to 200 electric aircraft valued at about $1 billion over the coming years. 

If finalized, the partnership could provide Joby with a fast path to monetizing its electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles in Saudi Arabia. ..."

" Abdul Latif Jameel, an 80 year-old network of diversified businesses, and Joby Aviation, Inc. (NYSE: JOBY), a company developing electric air taxis for commercial passenger service, are announcing the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore opportunities to establish a distribution agreement in Saudi Arabia for Joby’s electric aircraft. This announcement builds upon the renewed economic partnership between the U.S. administration and the Saudi government towards shared innovation and transportation growth. Potential delivery of up to 200 Joby aircraft and related services valued at approximately $1 billion are expected by the businesses over the coming years. In the long-term, Abdul Latif Jameel and Joby also see potential revenue opportunities across the Middle East."

An early Joby Aviation backer might soon be its biggest distributor in Saudi Arabia | TechCrunch

Abdul Latif Jameel and Joby Agree to Explore Opportunities for Electric Aircraft in Saudi Arabia (company press release)

Pilotless air taxi gains approval to start commercial flight operations in two large cities of China

Good news!

China is pushing the envelope! While President Trump uses the old fashioned and crude cudgel of trade tariffs to gain an advantage for the US.

"Tickets for autonomous flights over two tourist spots in China [Guangzhou and Hefei] should go on sale shortly. China's civil aviation authority has given the green light for urban air mobility outfit EHang to begin low-altitude commercial operations with its EH216-S eVTOL. ..."

Pilotless air taxi gains approval to start commercial flight operations

The pilotless EH216-S eVTOL can carry two paying customers per sight-seeing trip above the city port of Guangzhou

California Firm Unveils Real Flying Car: Watch It Take Off

Good news!

Toyota pours another $500 million into electric air taxi startup Joby Aviation adding up to a total of almost $900 million

The sky is the limit for traditional car makers like Toyota! 😊

"Toyota is doubling down on Joby Aviation with a $500 million investment into the California-based company that’s developing electric air taxis. Toyota’s total investment in Joby, which includes a $394 million capital injection back in 2020, is now $894 million. ..."

Toyota pours another $500M into electric air taxi startup Joby Aviation | TechCrunch

What will come first, the flying cart or the flying car?

Good news!

"... a flying cart, called the Palletrone (pallet+drone), designed for human-robot interaction-based aerial cargo transportation. ...

The Palletrone will try to keep its roll and pitch at zero, to make sure that there’s a flat and stable platform for your preciouses, even if you don’t load those preciouses onto the drone evenly. Once loaded up, the drone relies on you to tell it where to go and what to do, using its IMU to respond to the slightest touch and translating those forces into control over the Palletrone’s horizontal, vertical, and yaw trajectories. ..."

"... Of course, one downside of this approach is the noise generated by the drone. Another is the relatively low load capacity of the current setup, which comes in at 2.93 kg (6.5 lb) – that's not going to be enough to haul a family's weekly shop in mid-air, or help warehouse workers efficiently move stuff around. Then there's the limited flight time afforded by onboard batteries to consider. ..."

From the abstract:

"This letter presents a new cargo transportation solution based on physical human-robot interaction utilizing a novel fully-actuated multirotor platform called Palletrone. The platform is designed with a spacious upper flat surface for easy cargo loading, complemented by a rear-mounted handle reminiscent of a shopping cart. Flight trajectory control is achieved by a human operator gripping the handle and applying three-dimensional forces and torques while maintaining a stable cargo transport with zero roll and pitch attitude throughout the flight. To facilitate physical human-robot interaction, we employ an admittance control technique. Instead of relying on complex force estimation methods, like in most admittance control implementations, we introduce a simple yet effective estimation technique based on a disturbance observer robust control algorithm. We conducted an analysis of the flight stability and performance in response to changes in system mass resulting from arbitrary cargo loading. Ultimately, we demonstrate that individuals can effectively control the system trajectory by applying appropriate interactive forces and torques. Furthermore, we showcase the performance of the system through various experimental scenarios."

Palletrone: The Flying Cart for Aerial Cargo Transportation - IEEE Spectrum "The Palletrone is a robotic hovercart for moving stuff anywhere"

Palletrone flying cart lifts cargo off the ground for snag-free operation

The Palletrone Cart: Human-Robot Interaction-Based Aerial Cargo Transportation (no public access)

The Palletrone responds to your touch and can carry cargo across any terrain.

Las Vegas has become the headquarters for Pegasus flying cars: Handle like a go-kart, hover like a helicopter

What happens in Las Vegas, stays in Las Vegas! 😊 Want to play roulette with your life? (just kidding)

"Based in Melbourne, Australia – but clearly also with a presence in China – Pegasus is now moving its head office and production facilities to Las Vegas. The company says it's been working on its flying car design since 2009. Indeed, the project looks well advanced, and the company's naked early prototypes, first flown around 2016, have long since given way to the handsome, fully-enclosed Pegasus E, which made its debut in 2021. ..."

Watch: Nevada's new flying car handles like a go-kart, hovers like a heli It drives at highway speeds, handles like a go-kart, transforms from drive to fly mode in three seconds, takes off vertically, and can fly for up to three hours on a hybrid powertrain. This remarkable road-going rotorcraft company is moving to Vegas.

Pegasus flying cars arrive in the USA: soon available to helicopter pilots on the road and in the air

Pegasus International company (the news releases of this company are strangely outdated: The most recent release dates back to 11/20/2021)

Xpeng's flying car takes test flight in China

I can't wait to see the first traffic jam in the air! Then maybe it is time to drive on the road again. 😊

China's Guangzhou city to invest $1.4bn in flying car infrastructure

When will we see the first traffic jams in the air by flying cars and drones? The future is cloudy! 😊

"The Chinese city of Guangzhou will invest more than $1.4 billion in the "low-altitude economy" -- services that operate in airspace well below regular commercial aviation -- by 2027 as the Chinese government seeks new engines to speed up sluggish growth.

 

The money for the plan will go toward building infrastructure for flying vehicles, such as airborne taxis. A general aviation aerodrome with a runway is also planned."

China's Guangzhou to invest $1.4bn in flying car infrastructure - Nikkei Asia

Arizona may soon be a launchpad for flying cars — and a pioneer for regulating them

Good news! Lift off! Fly the friendly skies (very old slogan by United Airlines)!

When will we have the first traffic jams and congestion in the air? Will we need flying traffic lights too? (just kidding) 😊

The spirit of Arizona!

"... In a bold move, Arizona is crafting legislation to pave the way for flying cars. Spearheaded by Sen. David Farnsworth, this initiative is not just about embracing futuristic travel but shaping it. It would allow the owner of a “roadable aircraft” to get both a license to drive the vehicle on the street then soar into the air — up to 12,000 feet at 160 mph. The proposal aims to streamline registration, treating these vehicles more like motorcycles due to their three-wheeled design. It's a pragmatic approach to an unconventional challenge, embodying the spirit of innovation that defines our state. ..."

Arizona may soon be a launchpad for flying cars — and a pioneer for regulating them - Phoenix Business Journal

Take a ride inside Ehang’s fully autonomous, two-seater air taxi in Guangzhou, China

Very recommendable! I am ready for take off! Will the next Henry Ford be a Chinese? "The aircraft will cost $410,000 overseas"

Samson Switchblade: First flight for fold-out flying car

Ready for take off! When will we see the first traffic jam in the sky? 😊

"A year after it was pronounced airworthy by the FAA, and 14 years after it was first announced, the Samson Sky Switchblade is officially off the ground. This street-legal three-wheeler converts to a 200-mph (320-km/h) airplane at the touch of a button. ..."

Samson Switchblade: First flight for fold-out flying car (the article comes with three pictures of the vehicle, but none in flight)

Switchblade Flying Sports Car Makes Her Official First Flight

Maiden flight

China approves the world’s first flying taxi without pilot in Guangdong

Good news!

"Anyone keen to view from on high the sprawling cityscapes of Guangdong, a bustling province in southern China, may soon be able to do so from the cabin of a flying taxi. On October 13th the Civil Aviation Administration of China (caac) awarded a “type certificate”, a crucial piece of aviation paperwork, to the world’s first electric vertical take-off and landing (evtol) taxi. And in case that does not sound futuristic enough, the small two-seater, called the eh216-s, was also cleared to fly without a pilot on board. ..."

China approves the world’s first flying taxi EHang could soon take passengers on pilotless joyrides over Guangzhou