Electric flying taxis could fly over Paris at the Olympics, in a new transport revolution

City expects a small fleet to operate various routes during the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games; if released, the flights are likely to be short and expensive

LE BOURGET (FRANCE) – After years of dreamy and not always very credible conversations about skies full of flying electric taxisthe industry of aviation prepare yourself for this reality, which is ever closer.

Capitalizing on its momentum of global prominence, the Paris provides for a small fleet of electric flying taxis to operate on multiple routes when hosting the Olympic Games AND Paralympics of next year.

But whether or not Macron was on board, these pioneering flights would still be just baby steps for this fledgling industry, which needs to make leaps and bounds before flying taxis defeat ground-based competitors.

The limited power of current battery technology limits the range and the number of passengers they can carry. Therefore, eVTOL flights are likely to be short and very expensive to begin with.

And while the vision of simply beating city traffic with one flight is appealing, it also hinges on advances in airspace management. Over the next decade, eVTOL manufacturers intend to expand fleets in major cities and on other niche routes for luxury passengers, such as the French Riviera.

But they need leaps in technology so that flying taxis don’t collide with each other and all the other things already cluttering the skies, a scenario that could include thousands or millions of drones in the future.

Starting first on existing helicopter routes, “we will continue to grow using artificial intelligence, using machine learning to make sure our airspace can handle it,” said Archer Aviation Inc.’s Billy Nolen.

It plans to begin flying between midtown Manhattan and Newark’s Liberty Airport in 2025. It’s typically an hour’s journey by train or cab. Archer says his 4-passenger electric prototype can cover that distance in less than 10 minutes.

Nolen was previously the acting head of the Federal Aviation Administration, the U.S. regulatory body who, during his time at the agency, previously worked with NASA on technologies to make flying taxi rides safe. Just as Paris intends to use its Olympic Games to test these taxis, Nolen said the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics provide another target for the industry to demonstrate it can carry passengers in growing numbers safely, cleanly and affordably.

“We will have hundreds if not thousands of eVTOLs by 2028,” he said in an interview with the Associated Press at the Paris Air Show.

The expected ‘very small’ Volocopter experiment for the Paris Games is a ‘big thing’. “Hats off to them,” Nolan said. “But as we get to 2028 and beyond … we will see large-scale deployment in major cities around the world.”

However, even at the cusp of what the industry portrays as a revolutionary new era beginning in the city that spawned the 1789 French Revolution, some aviation analysts do not believe eVTOLs will become easily accessible, ubiquitous, and affordable alternatives to commuter trips. a not too distant future.

And even among eVTOL developers who gushed about their industry’s prospects at the Paris show, some predicted that rivals would run out of funds before taking prototypes to market.

Morgan Stanley analysts estimate the sector could be worth $1 trillion by 2040 and $9 trillion by 2050, with advances in battery and motor technology. Most of this will happen after 2035, analysts say, due to the difficulty of getting new aircraft certified by US and European regulators.

“The idea of ​​urban mass transit is still a lovely 1950s fantasy,” said Richard Aboulafia of AeroDynamic Advisory, an aerospace consultancy.

“The real problem is still that mere mortals like you and I don’t have routine or exclusive access to $4 million vehicles. You and I can take air taxis now. It’s called a helicopter.”

Still, electric taxis in Paris may have the power to surprise, pleasantly, Volocopter hopes. One of the five Olympic courses planned by the company would land in the heart of the city, on a floating platform on the Seine.

The developers point out that transportation apps and electric scooters also seemed strange to many customers. And, as with these technologies, some are betting that early adopters of flying taxis will inspire others to try them as well.

“It’s going to be a whole new experience for people,” Volocopter’s Hoke said. “But twenty years later, somebody looks at what’s changed based on that and calls it a revolution. And I think we’re on the cusp of the next revolution.”/AP

Source: Terra

Rose

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