NET ZERO
Conclusion
you quite rapidly across the city or to the next city or anywhere within a 100- or 150- mile radius .
Could these overgrown kids toys really change the way that we move around our towns and cities ?
Gary Vermaak is an advisor , consultant and ecosystem developer focusing on renewable / sustainable energy , logistics , mining and mobility . A self-proclaimed futurist and practical climate warrior , he says he aims to find the best available , commercial technologies to solve real problems . He also serves as the Secretariat , and Africa Chapter Director , for the Drone Logistics Ecosystem , with members in 21 countries .
“ It ' s unlikely that regulators will permit the carrying of passengers over urban areas any time soon , other than in very controlled flight lanes over open areas like rivers or rights of way ,” he says .
“ While there are no pedestrians and fewer obstacles in the air , flying in the ‘ concrete jungle ’ poses similar challenges due to wind channels and turbulence caused by large buildings , not to mention the risks of bird strikes . One must also remember that unlike an autonomous road or rail vehicle , an aircraft cannot be brought to a controlled stop by cutting the power or applying emergency brakes .”
Regardless of the restrictions and regulatory hurdles ( which are going to be far more stringent in the US and Europe than in other geographies ), just how sustainable are these vehicles anyway ? Many of the manufacturers are positioning them as a sustainable , zero-emissions solution to road cars , taxis , or even trains and buses for short intercity journeys .
“ 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 , like trains and buses ,” says Vermaak . “ They will complement , not compete with , getting people out of their ( autonomous ) EVs . For urban air mobility ( UAM ), trips under 100km , even a winged 4 / 5 seated eVTOL , is less efficient than a Tesla Model 3 per passenger mile .”
70 October 2022