The time of flying taxi service is very close

 The time of flying taxi service is very close

A series of companies developing new aircraft are racing to apply for vehicle type approval, bringing the commercialization of air taxi services very close.

"This is the next revolution in flight," said Mark Henning, a graduate of the Technical University of Munich and a man with 25 years of experience in the aerospace industry. He joined AutoFlight (China) - where he is responsible - to deliver the company's electric flying taxis approved by European aviation safety regulators.

Mr. Henning is not alone in betting that electric vertical take-off and landing (EVTOL) aircraft have a bright future. According to consulting firm McKinsey, other aeronautical engineers have been involved in about 200 such projects around the world, attracting $5.1 billion in investments last year.

Most of them are focused on designing unmanned aerial vehicles that use many small propellers to take off and land vertically like a helicopter. Their general idea was a simpler, cheaper, greener and quieter vehicle than an internal combustion engine helicopter. EVTOL is expected to be well suited to operate short-range passenger services across large metropolitan areas, such as transporting people between airports and city centres.

At first, regulators wondered how these new machines might be allowed to take to the skies — especially as some would operate without a pilot. However, after working with companies in the field, aviation authorities are beginning to finalize safety standards. This creates an opportunity for the strongest candidates to get ahead in the race to produce flying taxis.

As AutoFlight's new European chief executive, Henning is setting up operations at Augsberg airport (Germany) to further develop Prosperity I, the company's flying taxi. It can carry 3 passengers and a pilot.

The vehicle is a hybrid between a helicopter and a fixed-wing aircraft. It took off and landed vertically, using multiple propellers, but they were switched off while it was in flight. At that point, a "push" propeller at the rear takes over, to provide forward thrust. This design makes the battery more efficient, giving Prosperity I a range of about 250 km per charge.

A prototype version of the Prosperity I will be flown in Germany to obtain type certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), confirming the reliability of a new aircraft model. Although AutoFlight is also applying for certification in China, the company believes that further European approval will help speed up commercialization in other markets. They hope to complete the approval process by 2025.