Air Taxis

Riding on more than US$100 million of funding, Lilium is a leading candidate in the race to the vertical commute

Aircraft

Interview: The next steps for Lilium's eVTOL air taxi service

A fascinating chat with one of the companies at the forefront of the electric VTOL commuting revolution. Lilium is proceeding with flight testing, and says it'll have meaningful air taxi services in operation by 2025.

The Seraph prototype is Britain's leading air taxi contender

Aircraft

Vertical Aerospace debuts a chubby eVTOL capable of carrying 3 people

With the ability to carry up to 250 kg of payload at speeds up to 80 km/h, the 12-rotor Seraph is Britain's leading electric VTOL air taxi candidate. Vertical Aerospace has released video of this chunky bird in flight.

Lilium's five-seater eVTOL has now been shown flying at over 100 km/h

Aircraft

Video: Lilium's eVTOL flying car is now doing freeway speeds in testing

Six months after revealing its five-seat electric VTOL aircraft, German startup Lilium has shown it flying at speeds over 100 km/h (62 mph), and moving between VTOL and winged flight, in a new video.

NEC's flying car prototype in caged testing

Aircraft

NEC demonstrates wobbly multicopter flying car prototype

Japanese electronics giant NEC has been working with a company called Cartivator to design, build and test VTOL air taxi concepts. Now the two companies have demonstrated a multi-seat manned multicopter, a step toward a flying car future Japan believes will arrive around 2030.

Uber says its flying taxis could begin test flights in Melbourne next year

Urban Transport

Uber shows off aircraft cabin and declares flying taxi plans for Australia

With plans already in the pipe to lift its flying taxis into the air over Dallas and Los Angeles, Uber has now added Melbourne, Australia, to the list. The announcement marks the first pilot city outside the US for the forthcoming but highly speculative Uber Air service.

Expecting to achieve full FAA certification by the end of 2020, Skai says its "point to any point" air taxi service will cost about the same per mile as a standard Uber

Aircraft

Interview: Skai claims its air taxis will cost the same per mile as taking an Uber

Skai some big waves last month with the launch of its long-range hydrogen-powered eVTOL air taxi prototype. In an interview with New Atlas, Skai's CTO tells us these flying commuters will cost about the same per mile as an Uber ride, and that he expects to be able to land them just about anywhere.

Alaka'i Technologies' Skai prototype is already in the process of FAA certification

Aircraft

Skai hydrogen-powered eVTOL air taxi boasts enormous 400-mile range

A new electric VTOL air taxi company came out of stealth mode today, using a hydrogen fuel cell powertrain that neatly sidesteps the energy density issue that's holding back battery-powered aircraft. Alaka'i Technologies' Skai machine has a range of up to 4 hr/400 mi and a five-passenger capacity.

The Vertical Aerospace eVTOL prototype took to the air above Cotswold Airport in June 2018

Aircraft

Electric air taxi prototype makes flight debut

Vertical Aerospace operating out of Bristol, UK, aims to bring on demand, emissions-free intercity air taxi services to the UK skies within four years. The company has nailed the first step in its bold plan by building and flying a fully electric vertical take off and landing aircraft recently.

Aston Martin is presenting its Volante Vision flying taxi concept at the Farnsborough International Airshow this week

Aircraft

Aston Martin's flying taxi concept envisages luxurious inter-city travel

Aston Martin is the latest transport heavyweight to enter the flying taxi scene. It has actually teamed up with Rolls-Royce on its first vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, which it says was dreamt up with luxury, inter-city travel in mind.

The beehive-inspired Mega Skyport by Dallas-based architecture firm Humphreys & Partners Architects would be a mixed-use development containing offices and retail spaces

Aircraft

The six Skyport designs that could provide the launchpad for Uber's flying taxis

One of the more fanciful aspects of Uber’s flying taxi service is the concept of Skyports, which would be used as a base for electric aircraft to stay charged up and for passengers to hop on and off. Here’s a look at six concepts dreamt up by architects collaborating with Uber on the idea.

Urban Transport

Here's what Uber's air taxis may look like

This Tuesday, Uber announced that it has selected Aurora Flight Sciences as a partner to develop an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for its Uber Elevate Network – and a functioning model of it has already been flown.