New Atlas

Urban Transport Audio available

Audi's flying taxi concept takes flight, in miniature form

Nick Lavars November 27, 2018

Part-drone, part-self-driving electric car, Audi’s Pop.Up Next is an ambitious concept dreamt up in collaboration with subsidiary Italdesign and Airbus. The automaker is this week carrying out the first public demonstrations, albeit at just a quarter of the size the finished product.

Audi is demonstrating 1:4 scale model of its Pop.Up Next transport system at Drone Week in ...

Aircraft

Volocopter flying taxi sets down in Singapore

Nick Lavars October 18, 2018

German aviation startup Volocopter is one of the more active players in the nascent flying taxi scene. It is continuing to spread its wings, today announcing plans to set up shop in Singapore and kick off test flights next year.

Voloctoper’s plans for Singapore include tests flights for the second half of 2019

Aircraft

Electric air taxi prototype makes flight debut

Paul Ridden September 11, 2018

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.

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

Aircraft

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

Nick Lavars July 16, 2018

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.

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

Aircraft

New York to Boston in 36 minutes thanks to VTOL air taxi, says Transcend Air

James Holloway June 29, 2018

The Transcend Air Corporation has announced the development of the Vy, a tilt-wing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) six-seater aircraft designed to ferry people in and out of cities. Simultaneously, the company has said it will launch an air taxi-style commuter service to operate the aircraft.

Urban Transport

Uber to open a flying taxi research center in France

Nick Lavars May 24, 2018

Hot on the feels of its Uber Elevate conference where a raft of flying taxi vehicle and Skyport concepts came to light, Uber has now announced it will build a new research center in France that, at least initially, will be devoted to the cause.

Uber plans to publicly demonstrate its flying taxi service in 2020

Aircraft

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

Nick Lavars May 10, 2018

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.

The beehive-inspired Mega Skyport by Dallas-based architecture firm Humphreys & Partners Architects would be a mixed-use ...

Aircraft

Uber flags future of flying taxis with flashy new concepts

Nick Lavars May 8, 2018

Not to be pinned down by its continuing troubles here on the ground, Uber is pushing ahead with its flying taxi ambitions at its Elevate conference in LA this week. Among the news to trickle out of the event is a new deal with NASA, along with some flashy new concepts.

Uber imagines users of its flying taxi service traveling along fixed routes between hubs called Skyports

Aircraft

Surefly passenger drone performs first manned flight

Nick Lavars May 3, 2018

The flying taxi scene is now a bustling place, but some are moving faster than others. Workhorse first unveiled its Surefly flying car at the Paris Air Show in June last year, and has now sent it into the air with a person inside for the first time.

The Surefly takes to the air with a passenger for the first time

Aircraft

Volocopter shares its vision of skyport networks for flying taxis

Nick Lavars April 18, 2018

German aviation company Volocopter has today shared its plans for urban air taxi infrastructure, envisioning dozens of transport hubs scattered around urban centers that would move tens of thousands of passengers per day.

Rendering of the Volocopter flying taxi in action