As the only analysts covering theAnd today's story from engadget:nascentas-yet-theoretical autonomous electric flying taxi market we intend to be the the go-to source for all things autonomous electric flying taxi and/or theoretical....
It's a significant step toward airborne cross-town travel.
Multiple companies have outlined plans for flying taxis, but Boeing just took an important step toward making them a practical reality. The aircraft maker has completed the first test flight of its autonomous electric VTOL aircraft, verifying that the machine can take off, hover and land. It's a modest start, to put it mildly -- the taxi has yet to fly forward, let alone transition from vertical to forward flight modes. That still puts it ahead of competitors, though, and it's no mean feat when the aircraft existed as little more than a concept roughly one year ago.
When finished, the vehicle will serve as an "urban air mobility" solution that shuttles passengers across town in situations where ground transportation would be slow or impractical, with a peak range of 50 miles. The electric powerplant isn't just for the sake of environmental responsibility -- it would ensure the aircraft is quiet enough to operate without irritating people below. There are plans for a cargo-oriented counterpart that could haul up to 500lbs of goods, and it's poised to move from indoor to outdoor testing in 2019....MORE, including videoIt's getting crowded up there, might be faster to just drive.
Previously:
December 2018
"Morgan Stanley says market for self-flying cars could rise to $1.5 trillion by 2040"
July 2018
Rolls-Royce Presents Electric ‘Flying Taxi’ at Farnborough Airshow
July 2018
"Larry Page is quietly amassing a ‘flying car’ empire"
February 2018
Airbus Tests Its Autonomous Flying Taxi
Nov. 2017
Sept. 2017
Here Comes Another Electric Flying Taxi StartupOctober 2016
Uber to Challenge Airbus in the Autonomous Electric Flying Taxi Business
October 2016
The Effect Of Airbus' Cash Squeeze On Their Autonomous Flying Taxi Project Is Probably Nil
August 2016
"Airbus Reveals Ambitious Plan for Autonomous Flying Taxis"
Your move, Uber....