Flying taxis are imminent

The focus of transport reform has long been on the potential of air taxis and passenger drones. Both the jet-powered Lilium Jet and the self-driving Volocopter successfully completed their first full-fledged test flight, making air taxiing just an arm’s length away.

Lilium and Volocopter, which are developing the flying taxi, also conducted tests last week. The former would introduce the commercial air taxi service by 2025, while the latter would introduce the commercial air taxi service within two years.

Jet jets in Germany

Munich-based tech-startup company Lilium has released new footage of its air taxi, in which the epoch-making invention rose to the skies in Germany, Infotér writes in response to Mirror. The Lilium Jet is the world’s first five-seater, fully electric, vertical take-off and landing jet. The aircraft is powered by 36 fully electric jet engines, so it has no operating emissions, while in horizontal flight it uses less than 10 percent of the 2,000 horsepower available. Lilium claims that the aircraft can travel at a speed of nearly 100 km / h and can cover a distance of 300 kilometers on a single charge.

Daniel Wiegand, co-founder and CEO of Lilium, said they are taking tangible, concrete steps to make their vision of regional air mobility a reality and are progressing according to plan for the time being.

Drone-like flying taxi in Singapore

While Lilium is planning a commercial air taxi service by 2025, another company would launch its own program within two years. Volocopter’s drone-like flying taxi was tested in Singapore a few days ago, the Daily Mail reports. The operation of the self-propelled aircraft with 18 propellers is still supervised by a pilot during the test flights. The Volocopter will have space for two passengers and their luggage. Its creators hope the technology will reduce traffic-based pollution in major cities and revolutionize the transportation of the future.

Volocopter has already conducted tests in Dubai, Helsinki, Germany and Las Vegas, but the Singapore trial is the company’s first experiment in the heart of a city. The futuristic means of transport flew over the waters of Marina Bay for two and a half minutes. In Singapore, they will be among the first to use the service, the commercial launch of which is expected in two to four years. Volocopter plans to make air taxis available in all busy Asian cities after the first location.

“Our goal is to introduce it in Jakarta, Manila and Bangkok because they are in great need, just like in India and China”. Said Florian Reuter, CEO of Volocopter.