Air Taxis

Paris Region, ADP and RATP are eyeing the development of an urban air mobility branch ahead of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, and have joined forces with German air taxi startup Volocopter to make it happen.

British company Samad Aerospace has unveiled a very unique VTOL aircraft design. The long-range, high-speed Q-Starling uses modified helicopter turbine engines to power turbojet thrusters as well as to charge the battery on an electric VTOL system.

Having tested out its aircraft in Dubai, Singapore, Helsinki and Germany, Volocopter is now turning its attention to Japan through a new agreement with Japan Airlines, and is preparing for a commercial launch in the country within a few years.

Britain's Vertical Aerospace is hoping to strike early as the age of the eVTOL air taxi begins to dawn. Last week it unveiled its new VA-1X tilt-rotor design, and we spoke to Chief Engineer Tim Williams about the aircraft, the tech and the timeline.

Moving on from the squat, chunky Seraph and its basic manned multirotor design, Britain's Vertical Aerospace has released designs for an upcoming five-seat tilt rotor air taxi it's calling the VA-1X that can take advantage of efficient winged flight.

Although numerous companies are now developing "air taxis," many of those groups have nothing but renderings of their aircraft. Switzerland's Dufour Aerospace, however, recently completed the first phase of testing of a large-scale demonstrator.

A Palo Alto startup has popped up out of stealth mode to lay another eVTOL air taxi design on the growing pile. Archer proposes a transitioning, winged, battery-powered aircraft, and its team includes senior talent from Vahana, Wisk and Joby Aviation.

After months in lockdown, Wisk has announced it's back in the air, continuing flight testing of its autonomous two-seat Cora eVTOL aircraft at locations in New Zealand and the United States, as it prepares for certification and commercial flights.

Like a number of others in the field, German startup Lilium is out to shake up the world of aviation with an all-electric air taxi, and it has just picked up a little more momentum by way of an additional US$35-million investment.

A California company says its new "turbo air-cooled" fuel cell design can deliver three times the power and four times the lifespan of a regular fuel cell, opening the door for high-speed, long-range, hydrogen-powered electric VTOL aircraft.

EHang has achieved another important milestone in its effort to make its passenger-grade autonomous aerial vehicles a common sight in the skies. The CCAC has granted permission for the air taxis to be used for heavy-lift logistics.

Electric VTOL air taxis are one of the great emerging technologies of our time, and there are a ton of companies hoping to be early to market with a fast, safe, comfortable eVTOL aircraft for 3D commuting. Here's a roundup of the key players.