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UAE: Soon, travel from Abu Dhabi to Dubai in just 30 minutes by flying taxis Flying taxis will cut travel time between Abu Dhabi and Dubai to just 30 minutes, industry experts said, while highlighting the UAE being at the forefront of the urban mobility revolution. Joby Aviation, a US-based company developing electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for commercial passenger service, is expected to start operations of air taxis by 2025 or early 2026. “Our aircraft will be able to fly between Abu Dhabi and Dubai in 30 to 35 minutes,” an executive from Joby Aviation told Khaleej Times during DRIFTx – the world’s only smart and autonomous mobility and transport event – held at the iconic Yas Marina Circuit. JoeBen Bevirt, CEO of Joby Aviation, during a panel discussion, noted that the momentum seen in the UAE regarding creating infrastructure and certifying autonomous aircraft has been fantastic. “The UAE has been able to expedite moves on building critical infrastructure,” Bevirt said and underlined that safety and noise control have been key considerations for Joby Aviation. In February, Joby Aviation announced a signing agreement with Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) to launch air taxi services in the Emirate by early 2026. Other companies like eVTOL developer Archer Aviation and UAE’s aviation services operator Falcon Aviation have already announced plans to develop vertiport infrastructure for critical locations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Also, both Joby and Archer have signed up for Abu Dhabi's Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industry (SAVI) cluster established by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO). During DRIFTx, Archer announced the signing of a framework agreement to accelerate planned commercial air taxi operations in the UAE, slated to launch as soon as next year with its Midnight aircraft. Key components of Archer’s collaboration with ADIO include vertiport construction, operational enablement for air taxi operations in the UAE, and in-country manufacturing of Midnight aircraft. Under the agreement, ADIO will ensure local workforce development programmes for Emirati talent and facilitate the establishment of Archer’s international headquarters and centre of excellence in Abu Dhabi. “This substantial agreement with Abu Dhabi is a pivotal moment for Archer’s commercialisation efforts across the Emirates, as it provides the catalyst to accelerate the launch of our electric air taxi service in the UAE as soon as late 2025,” said Archer founder and CEO Adam Goldstein. Meanwhile, visitors to the DRIFTx were treated to what the future holds. There were Automated Rapid Transit (ART), TAXI self-driving taxis sporting the new livery, and driverless minibus to ferry visitors from one end to another. #FlyingTaxisUAE #AbuDhabiDubaiExpress

Delhi to Gurugram in 7 minutes 🕛 . Interglobe Archer Aviation to launch electric flying taxi in 2026 🛫 🚕 . India’s top airline Indigo’s subsidiary company InterGlobe and Archer Aviation a US based Airline company the company entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) last year and came into a Joint Venture📃 . The JV will jointly will be laubching an electric flying taxi service in India in 2026. The JV planned to start their services for Delhi – Gurugram. According to the JV, they shall be able to transport passengers from Delhi’s Connaught Place to Gurugram within 7 minutes. Archer Aviation will supply 200 electric vehicle takeoff & landing (eVTOL) aircrafts. The aircraft can carry in total 5 passengers including a pilot. The aircraft is support to operate just like a helicopter, but will less noise and better safety 🚁 . The 200 aircrafts, each having 12 rotters, will cost around USD 1 billion 💲. Besides Delhi – Gurugram, the JV will start similar services for Mumbai – Bangalore. The cost for the 7-minute trip of Delhi – Gurugram in the 5-seater aircraft will cost around ₹2000 to ₹3000 according to Archer Aviation. Archer Aviation Founder and CEO Adam Goldstein in an interview with PTI in Delhi said that the company expects the service to start in 2026 with 200 midnight planes for the operations. Also, he added, that the company is launching electric air taxi services in India starting with Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. Company also claims that flights will significantly cut down travel times. For example, a trip from Connaught Place in Delhi to Gurugram will take just 7 minutes by air, compared to 90 minutes by car 🚗. Though cost might be slightly higher, ranging from ₹2,000 to ₹3,000 for the 27-kilometer journey, compared to ₹1,500 for a car ride, the travel time significantly lowered ⏳. Chief Commercial Officer Nikhil Goel said that the plane will have six battery packs 🔋 , will can get fully charged in 30-40 🕒 minutes and one minute charge broadly translates to one minute of flight. Also Goel added that, they will use the full strength of InterGlobe, which is a conglomerate, and the JV might choose partners for the eVTOL operations in India 🇮🇳. Discussions are ongoing for the real estate space needed to be required for vertiports or launchpads and other infrastructure needed to start the operations 🏗 . Archer Aviation will be opening its manufacturing facility in the US this year and initially, it will have a capacity to produce up to 650 planes ✈ and the same will be enhanced to 2,000 planes. Archer Aviation expressed openness to manufacturing their aircraft in India 🇮🇳 in the future, according to Goldstein. Will Electric Flying Taxi Services be the future the India? Let's discuss in comments. #linkedin #indigoaviation #interglobe #archeraviation #flyingtaxi #india #electricvehicle #innovation #india

Would you get around town in a flying taxi? German startup Volocopter is the world's first manufacturer of electric air taxis, or "aircraft that take off and land vertically" (eVTOLs), to get the green light for serial production from the German federal aviation office. This makes the company the first player in its field to hold authority for both design and production, reports eVTOL Insights. The company also received permission to train pilots this week, catapulting it ahead in the eVTOL race for an air operator certificate from the EASA - European Union Aviation Safety Agency, which it is expected to receive within the year. While Slovenian Pipistrel Aircraft already has this certificate, its flying machine doesn't land vertically – which is essential for urban transport, according to POLITICO Europe.   Volocopter's battery-powered "VoloCity" helicopter resembles a drone and will initially carry a pilot and a passenger, "eventually paving the way toward a fully autonomous service in the future", according to the startup headquartered in Bruchsal near Karlsruhe. It originally planned to launch commercial flights at this summer's Olympic Games in Paris, though COO Andreas Fehring admitted the target might be too ambitious. Rome, which is hosting the Vatican's "Jubilee Year" – a Catholic tradition that attracts tens of millions of pilgrims – in 2025, is among Europe's capitals competing to become the world's first city with routine air taxi flights. Aspiring Italian urban air mobility (UAM) operator UrbanV has permits for the first two of up to twelve planned vertiports – where air taxis can take off, land and recharge – in Italy's capital. It also recently partnered with Spain's state-controlled airport manager Aena to launch air taxi operations on the Iberian peninsula. Startups worldwide are competing in the advanced air mobility market, including subsidiaries of big aerospace companies like Airbus and Boeing. Many are working on software, such as apps which will allow people to book a flight. Klaus Seywald, Volocopter's director of digital products and strategy, expects the industry to start scaling around 2026. By 2028 or 2029, flying taxis are likely to go mainstream and become affordable for the average person, he told Business Insider. 🎙️ Would you hop on an air taxi to get around the city? What price would you be willing to pay for the service? Have your say in the comments below. ✍ Katarina Lukač 📷 Getty Sources: eVTOL Insights: https://lnkd.in/gs9M84yK https://lnkd.in/gYbicBBJ Politico Europe: https://lnkd.in/dFsFH3zV Volocopter: https://lnkd.in/gCJ7xnJg heise online (in German): https://lnkd.in/gZwhz32R autoevolution: https://lnkd.in/g6CT5HD2 Business Insider: https://lnkd.in/gcjjCPGJ

New Post: Hyundai says its electric air taxi business will take flight in 2028 - Supernal, the advanced air mobility company under Hyundai Motor Group, took the wraps off its latest iteration of an electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft called the S-A2 that executives say is designed to shuttle passengers by 2028. The S-A2 is essentially a more fully baked version of what it intends to launch commercially and confirms that, at least for now, Hyundai is still intent on getting into the yet-to-exist electric air taxi business. That timeline, which was announced Tuesday during CES 2024, has come down to earth in the three years since it revealed its vision concept, also known as S-A1. At that time, Hyundai announced a partnership with Uber Elevate — a company that was gobbled up by Joby Aviation — to develop and potentially mass-produce air taxis for a future aerial rideshare network. Uber Elevate said it would start flight demos in 2020 and offer commercial rides in 2023. With the eVTOL industry still lacking a single commercial operator, Hyundai’s Supernal came back to CES 2024 with more grounded plans. Image Credits: Kirsten Korosec And it’s certainly throwing resources at the project to get there — although Hyundai has never disclosed its exact investment. Supernal has grown to a 600-person team and is also using technical and business capabilities of Hyundai Motor Group and aviation suppliers around the world as it works toward a commercial launch, according to Jaiwon Shin, Hyundai Motor Group president and CEO of Supernal. There is still quite a bit of work to be done before that can happen, Supernal CTO Ben Diachun noted on the sidelines of the event. The S-A2 will have to go through a lengthy Type 1 certification process with the Federal Aviation Administration before it can fly commercially. The company will begin testing this year in California its so-called technology demonstrator vehicles, Diachun said. Supernal will also submit this year its application to the FAA. In 2025, Supernal will submit to the FAA its proposal for means of compliance, he added. The nuts and bolts The aircraft shown Tuesday is a V-tail with a distributed electric propulsion architecture and eight all-tilting rotors. The S-A2 is loaded with the kind of redundant components like the powertrain, flight controls and avionics — all of the safety critical systems required for commercial aviation. The aircraft is designed to cruise 120 miles-per-hour at a 1,500-foot altitude. This is meant to be for suburban into inner city travel, with trips falling between 25 and 40 miles, initially. Diachun said onstage that the aircraft would operate at about 65 decibels as it takes off and lands and 45 decibels while cruising, about the same as a dishwasher, he claimed. The company’s designers and engineers also made the interior modular, including the ability to replace the battery as technology improves. #Hyundai #electric #

IndiGo to launch Electric Air Taxis! InterGlobe Enterprises, the parent company of IndiGo (InterGlobe Aviation Ltd), is gearing up to introduce an all-electric air taxi service in 2026. Imagine zipping from Connaught Place in Delhi to Gurugram in just 7 minutes, at an affordable price range of Rs 2,000-3,000. In contrast, the same 27-kilometer journey currently takes 90 minutes and costs around Rs 1,500. These electric vertical takeoffs and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, which resemble helicopters but are quieter and safer, will be supplied by Archer Aviation. Each eVTOL can accommodate the pilot and four passengers, offering a swift and efficient mode of transport. Archer Aviation has ambitious plans to launch similar air taxi services in Mumbai and Bengaluru as well. The company is in advanced discussions with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for certification, following which the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in India will initiate the certification process. With a focus on sustainability and convenience, the eVTOL aircraft will feature six battery packs, allowing for quick charging in 30-40 minutes. Notably, one minute of charging will roughly translate to one minute of flight time. Furthermore, a joint venture between InterGlobe Enterprises and Archer Aviation is in the pipeline, with details currently in development. The future of urban mobility looks promising as talks progress regarding infrastructure, vertiports, launchpads, and other operational aspects. Moreover, there are plans to explore domestic manufacturing of these innovative aircraft in India. What do you think about these Air Taxi’s? Let us know in the comments section! #interglobe #indigo #airtravel #taxi #ecell #iitbombay

A quick glimpse into the future of unmanned aviation. Lots of innovative models and ideas being generated in and around this segment. While it makes sense for Boeing or Airbus to kickstart the future of aviation, Joby has made great strides in this field giving it an edge for the time being. While lucrative, safety concerns are paramount. Lobbying behind future tech is one thing, demand consensus another. #tech #future #aviation #taxi #airtaxi

When it comes to assessing the business case for the eVTOL as an air taxi you could say the devil is in the details. Or in this case, in the footnotes. This latest FAA forecast dedicates a section to advanced air mobility, including UAM. That's where I found this footnote which confirms what I've suspected all along... it will be very difficult for an operator to stand up an air taxi business as envisioned by many UAM enthusiasts. The numbers just don't work, not with an average load factor of just one passenger as projected by the FAA. Before I dive into this, you should note the nomenclature in this particular forecast specifically defines air taxi service as transportation provided on-demand, where the origin and destination as well as the date and time is dictated by the passenger. Contrast this with an air shuttle, which provides scheduled service over a predetermined route like with a Part 135 commuter operation. This is an important distinction given the projected load factor for an air shuttle under UAM is 3 passengers - which may translate into a better business case when leveraging the Joby S4, Archer Midnight and several other eVTOLs configured to carry 4 passengers. But the anemic load factor for the air taxi assumes that it will be difficult to pool multiple passengers for the same trip when operating on-demand, given passenger expectations for timely and direct transit without delay. This shouldn't come as a surprise since the average load factor for ground taxis and ride hails is only slightly more than a single passenger in an urban setting. The reality is the current frontrunners aiming to produce a four passenger eVTOL for UAM may face a bit of a dilemma over the longer run. These aircraft could turn out to be a reasonable fit for the air shuttle requirement but are probably too big for the air taxi opportunity focused on the transport of a single passenger. This since a bigger aircraft usually costs more to operate and will taint the financials if you don't fill enough of the seats. Given the notion the air taxi, and not the air shuttle represents the real pot of gold at the end of the UAM rainbow you have to wonder if the frontrunners are on the right track. Bottom line, the business case and prospects for air taxi service operating on-demand will only improve with a smaller platform that can carry 1-2 passengers. Maybe EHang and Volocopter got the smaller is better part right on this one. #eVTOL #AAM #UAM #airtaxi #airshuttle

For many years, I have hoped that a flying taxi could be deployed to deal with one kind of travel challenge: traveling to and from airports accessible today within metro areas only by automobile or relatively inflexible public transportation options. In the New York metro area, cross-country and overseas flights are only available from New York JFK and Newark Liberty Airports. From New York City, there are great public transportation options. Although the subway system can get someone to JFK, the more comfortable option is the LIRR commuter train to the Jamaica Station from either Penn Station or Grand Central and the Air Train (which is autonomous) from Jamaica to JFK. As a "senior," I pay $.5.25 for the LIRR ticket after 9am and $8.25 for the Air Train leg. The trip reliably gets me into the JFK terminal at between 45-50 minutes. But if anyone is going to JFK or Newark from CT, the automobile is the only option, whether it is single-occupant, Uber or Lyft, or a bus service. The trip takes more than an hour and is subject to delays on highways like the Van Wyck or the Cross Island expressways. A door-to-door car service now costs in excess of $200. The alternative of an air taxi would be phenomenal. Even if it carried four passengers, the additional time to get to the takeoff point would be small. The trip could take less than 15 minutes. All-electric air taxis are becoming a viable option. By the end of decade, these might be autonomous, but having them piloted is a good 1st step. Laws banning helicopters would have to be modified to allow these much quieter ways of traveling by air, which will take time, but, ultimately, they could be allowed. Helicopters are too noisy and they emit pollutants, since they are fueled by fossil fuels. These newer-generation air taxis avoid the pollution problem, since they are electrically powered. If they could carry 4 passengers, they would not only eliminate up to four cars from the road, but the dropoff point at the airport would also reduce the horrific congestion at dropoff points at the departure level. They also could work to reduce congestion on arrivals as well, especially in the late afternoon, when many flights arrive from Europe at JFK and Newark.

𝗔𝗶𝗿 𝗧𝗮𝘅𝗶𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗚𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 Exciting news in the world of air taxis! Both Chinese and US companies are making significant strides toward pilotless flying taxis. In a groundbreaking move, China’s air travel regulator has accepted EHang’s application for a license, marking the first such certificate in the world. While there are still a few hurdles to clear before this technology becomes mainstream, Beijing is fully supporting the electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) sector. On the other side of the globe, Boeing’s subsidiary Wisk has announced plans to have its own eVTOL taxis ready to accept fares by the end of the decade. Their latest prototype can carry four passengers along with their luggage. However, there are still some challenges to overcome, such as extending battery life to handle multiple trips on a single charge and ensuring the public and regulators are convinced of its safety. https://lnkd.in/gA8vQvaU

Air taxis, or the so-called "urban air mobility" (UAM) vehicles, could need up to 60,000 pilots to fly them by 2028, according to a projection by McKinsey & Co. This is despite the fact that air taxis are, by design, meant to fly autonomously. The projected pilot demand timeline is just four years away from now (May 2024). This figure represents about 17 per cent of the total number of commercial pilots in 2018. #airtaxi #aviation #transportation #careers