Tag: air taxi

NASA Using Japanese Startup to Map Wind Patterns for Drones

NASA is working with Japanese startup MetroWeather Co. to map out wind patterns in an effort to improve drone and air taxi safety.

Drones are becoming more important than ever to many industries, including agriculture, retail, delivery, security and more. Given their lightweight design, however, winds can pose a major challenge for drones, especially models that have to traverse some distance across various wind patterns. The same goes for the relatively small electric air taxies that many companies are racing to develop and market.

NASA and MetroWeather are hoping to address the issue by mapping the wind, providing drone and air taxi operators a way to chart safe flight routes.

“Flying these things without knowing the wind and risking crashes is inconceivable,” MetroWeather CEO Junichi Furumoto said in an interview, according to Science X. “Even more so when people are the cargo.”

MetroWeather achieves its mapping using lidar sensors that measure the speed of dust and other particles in the air which, in turn, allows it to calculate wind speed and detect wind shear. According to Science X, with a range of 11 miles, “four of them perched on top of skyscrapers can cover all of central Tokyo.”

The technology promises to be an important step in the advancement of drones and air taxies alike.

August 30, 2021
Volocopter Demos Eletric Air Taxi at Paris Air Forum

Volocopter has demoed its electric air taxi at the Paris Air Forum, vowing to bring air taxi services to market in time for the 2024 Olympics.

Companies around the world are racing to make air taxies a reality. The technology promises to help speed up commutes, reduce city congestion and revolutionize the transportation industry.

Volocopter is one step closer to bringing its own taxi service to martlet, following a successful demonstration. The company is committed to bringing a full-fledged service to the region in time for the 2024 Olympics in Paris. The service will likely see major success with the influx of tourists and Olympic-goers looking to experience everything possible.

“The first flight today in Paris highlights Volocopter’s commitment to bring air taxi services to this region in time for the 2024 Olympic Games,” said Florian Reuter, Volocopter CEO. “The alliance of the Paris region, Groupe ADP, and RATP Groupe and their intent to bring electric air taxis to France is a stellar example of the collaborative approach we see to be the most successful for adding this exciting category of mobility to cities globally.”

“Today, we were as close as never before in France to experience electric aviation,” said Edward Arkwright, Deputy CEO, Groupe ADP. “Volocopter is a vivid example of what the futures of aviation could look like, both carbon-free and innovative, that Groupe ADP wants to accompany thanks to our infrastructure assets, expertise, and know-how. Along with the other partners of the RE.Invent Air Mobility initiative, Volocopter is now ready to enter a first test flight campaign by September on the Pontoise airfield sandbox we have been building up in the past months. And we are thrilled to be partnering with them, RATP Group and DGAC towards our objective of flight demonstrations in the Paris Region during the 2024 Olympic Games, to lay the foundation of a strong UAM industrial ecosystem in France.”

“After having responded as the first player in the urban air mobility industry, in the context of the call for expressions of interest, we are very pleased that Volocopter has confirmed its development and its establishment in France,” Marie-Claude Dupois, Director of Strategy, Innovation and Development of RATP Group. “For RATP Group, this new mobility aims to complement our traditional transport modes.”

June 21, 2021
CES 2020: Hyundai And Uber Partner To Provide Aerial Ridesharing

Hyundai and Uber made a splash at CES 2020 with a partnership to develop and deploy Uber Air Taxies, according to a press release.

Hyundai made news in late 2019 when it created its Urban Air Mobility (UAM) division. UAM is focused on creating flying cars and other aerial vehicles, and landed NASA aeronautics director Dr. Jaiwon Shin as the division head. Unlike the many startups that have tried to tackle this field, Hyundai brings vast experience mass-manufacturing complex vehicles.

Image Source: Uber

Under the partnership, “Hyundai will produce and deploy the air vehicles, and Uber will provide airspace support services, connections to ground transportation, and customer interfaces through an aerial ride share network. Both parties are collaborating on infrastructure concepts to support take-off and landing for this new class of vehicles.”

As part of their announcement, the two companies unveiled concepts for their first jointly developed personal air vehicle (PAV), the SA-1. The PAV is a 100 percent electric vehicle, with vertical takeoff and landing, cruising altitude of 1,000 to 2,000 feet and a cruising speed of up to 180 miles per hour.

“Our vision of Urban Air Mobility will transform the concept of urban transportation,” said Jaiwon Shin, Executive Vice President and Head of Hyundai’s Urban Air Mobility (UAM) Division. “We expect UAM to vitalize urban communities and provide more quality time to people. We are confident that Uber Elevate is the right partner to make this innovative product readily available to as many customers as possible.”

“Hyundai is our first vehicle partner with experience of manufacturing passenger cars on a global scale. We believe Hyundai has the potential to build Uber Air vehicles at rates unseen in the current aerospace industry, producing high quality, reliable aircraft at high volumes to drive down passenger costs per trip. Combining Hyundai’s manufacturing muscle with Uber’s technology platform represents a giant leap forward for launching a vibrant air taxi network in the coming years,” said Eric Allison, head of Uber Elevate.

January 7, 2020