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The company says it will pitch Flying Tiger as a premium product for high-net-worth customers in China with a penchant for technology who wish to use the aircraft for VIP air shuttle services . In many regards , it ’ s a straight replacement for a helicopter – but could these autonomous , pilot-less drones really replace the motor car ? And if they did , what impact would that have on the panet ?
Airbus – the world ’ s largest aircraft manufacturer in terms of revenue and number of deliveries – certainly sees a place for these eVTOLs , and has done more than most when it comes to a proof of concept . In fact , Airbus has quietly spent years researching and developing not one
“ While electric flying taxis , and air shuttles , are a mid mile , not door to door , they are very energy inefficient compared to other midmile electric options ”
GARY VERMAAK CONSULTANT AND ECOSYSTEM DEVELOPER
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but two flying demonstrators ( CityAirbus and Vahana ), and is now working on a new CityAirbus NextGen . This fully electric vehicle is equipped with fixed wings , a V-shaped tail , and eight electrically powered propellers . It is designed to carry up to four passengers in zero-emissions flight for multiple applications , has a range of 80km and top speed of 120km / h .
A recent report from McKinsey entitled Advanced Air Mobility in 2030 discusses the future of air mobility , and the potential for these flying electric vehicles to replace taxis , not just helicopters .
One of those report authors , Robin Riedel , says we will have aircraft that are much smaller than today ’ s aircraft , and they will be much more accessible . They ’ re going to land in your neighbourhoods . You might take a short car ride or a micro mobility scooter ride to get to the vertiport , and you ’ ll go through there just like you do at a taxi stand today . You ’ ll get on an aircraft that will take
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