Airmobility: Flying Cars Nearing Departure Time

A host of carmakers, aeronautical firms, tech companies and entrepreneurs are poised to launch an array of flying cars, air taxis and commuter planes in coming years. They all promise to reduce congestion and improve personal mobility, but their flight plans differ in terms of technologies, target markets, scope and timing.  

Among those competing for a piece of the sky are familiar transportation names such as Airbus, Aston Martin, Boeing, Daimler, Toyota, Uber and Volkswagen. Most are focusing on helicopter-like vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTL) modules that don’t require a runway.

Not surprisingly, Uber is one of the most ambitious of the group with its UberAir unit. The ride-hailing giant aims to start pilot testing a fleet of VTL aircrafts in three cities (Los Angeles, Dallas and an unnamed location) in 2020, with commercial service targeted for 2023. Uber also is working with authorities in Australia, Brazil, Dubai, France, India and Japan

The company predicts the cost of an air taxi will be comparable to current rates for an Uber car. Featuring four pairs of co-rotating rotors driven by electric motors to create vertical lift, UberAir’s prototype eCRM-003 is capable of cruising speeds of up to 200 mph and can go 60 miles on a single charge.

Britain’s Vertical Aerospace completed testing of a prototype all-electric aircraft this summer and aims to launch inter-city flying taxi services within four years. The company, which was founded in 2016 by a Formula One team owner, is applying F1 technologies—including advanced aerodynamics, lightweight materials and electrical systems—to the flying taxis. The VTL unit is designed to hold a pilot and two passengers and travel at a top speed of 50 mph for as far as 500 miles.

Another budding air taxi company is German startup Volocopter, which received $30 million in funding last year from Daimler and other investors. The company’s two-seat 2X prototype features a mix of propellers, electric motors, accumulators, 18 rotors, nine batteries and more than 100 microprocessors. Volocopter says the device can travel 17 miles and has a top airspeed of about 60 mph.

Lilium, a flying taxi startup based in Germany, is taking an upscale approach to its limousine-like aircraft. The company hired famed supercar designer Frank Stephenson, whose resume includes stints at BMW, Ferrari, Maserati and McLaren, to design its vehicles, launch pads and departure lounges. Lilium tested an unmanned, two-seat prototype of its VTL model last year and aims to demonstrate a fully functional five-seater next year with a goal of launching commercial applications in the early 2020s. Propelled by 36 electric motors mounted to its wings via 12 flaps, the jet is expected to have a top air speed of 190 mph and a range of about 200 miles.

Others are taking a different approach with vehicles that can fly and drive on the ground. This includes PAL-V International, which aims to begin customer deliveries of its $400,000 Liberty model next year after testing the technology for more than a decade.

The Dutch company says the vehicle can switch between car and plane modes within 10 minutes and meets air and land safety requirements around the world. Powered by a dual-engine Rotax propulsion system, the Liberty (left) will have a 284-mile driving range and can travel 310 miles in the air. Users must have a gyroplane license to fly the vehicles, which PAL-V says can be obtained with as little as 30 hours of training.

Massachusetts-based Terrafugia is on track to launch its Transition flying car next year in the U.S. The company, which was purchased by China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group last year, says the vehicle’s wings can be deployed or folded up in less than a minute. In the air, the Transition will have a top speed of about 100 mph and a flying range of 400 miles. Recent enhancements include a full-frame parachute, cushier seats, and improved airbags and seatbelts. Pricing is expected to start at about $280,000.

Oregon startup Samson Motors describes its Switchblade model as a “flying sports car” with a retractable tail and wings. The three-wheel vehicle, which is classified as a motorcycle on the ground, features an upscale interior and a power-to-weight ratio equivalent to that of a 2017 Corvette. A pilot’s license is required to fly the vehicle, which must be done from an airport. Samson, which aims to launch sales next year, says it has received 800 orders from customers in 24 countries for the vehicle.

One of the most unusual concepts is the Pop.Up Next model (right) co-developed by Audi and Airbus. The vehicle features a detachable passenger pod that can connect to either an electric skateboard chassis or a large (16-ft by 16-ft) flying drone unit. The ground and air portions of the system are designed to operate autonomously as a self-driving/flying taxi based on the most efficient route, with the capsule separating from the chassis and being picked up by the quadcopter drone when needed.

Google co-founder Larry Page is backing three different startups. The furthest along of the group is Kitty Hawk, which already has launched sales of its single-seat Flyer module. Classified as an ultralight aircraft (no pilot’s license required), the 250-lb vehicle has a limited range designed for recreational use. The company also is developing a larger model for a taxi service under the leadership of CEO Sebastian Thrun, who founded the Google X autonomous driving unit that has since transformed into Waymo.  

Meanwhile, Toyota has invested about $350,000 in an employee-led initiative to develop a small flying car called Skydrive. The group, which has tested several proof-of-concept scale models, aims to use Skydrive to light the flame at the opening of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

A lot of work still needs to be done to make flying cars and taxis a reality, including getting federal certification, air traffic control concerns, building an infrastructure and gaining public support. But it now appears a matter of when, rather than if, air mobility will be cleared for takeoff.