Airbus plans to test flying cars before the end of 2017, The Independent
Airbus plans to test flying cars before the end of 2017
Initial models only carry a single passenger at a time
- Aatif Sulleyman
- Tuesday seventeen January two thousand seventeen 11:17 GMT
The Independent Online
The company’s taking the development “very earnestly” REUTERS/Regis Duvignau
Airbus has announced ambitious plans to test prototype flying taxis before the end of the year, ahead of a broader rollout in 2021.
The aerospace company is presently working on Project Vahana, an autonomous, single-passenger taxi capable of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL). The company’s also developing a multi-passenger flying car, however it’s the smaller of the two that’s set for testing this year.
The company believes they’ll ease congestion on roads, and help members of the public save time and money.
Gadgets and tech news in pictures
Gadgets and tech news in pictures
Designed by Pierpaolo Lazzarini from Italian company Jet Capsule. The I.F.O. is fuelled by eight electrified engines, which is able to thrust the flying object to an estimated top speed of about 120mph.
Jet Capsule/Cover Pictures
A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Implements Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech two thousand seventeen held in Bangalore
A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Instruments Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech two thousand seventeen held in Bangalore
Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea
Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Pictures
Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea
Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Photos
The giant human-like robot bears a striking resemblance to the military robots starring in the movie ‘Avatar’ and is claimed as a world very first by its creators from a South Korean robotic company
Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Pictures
Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea
Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Pictures
Waseda University’s saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi
Waseda University’s saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi and Kaptain Rock playing one string light saber guitar perform jam session
A test line of a fresh energy suspension railway resembling the giant panda is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
A test line of a fresh energy suspension railway, resembling a giant panda, is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
A concept car by Trumpchi from GAC Group is shown at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China
A Mirai fuel cell vehicle by Toyota is displayed at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China
A visitor attempts a Nissan VR practice at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China
A man looks at an exhibit entitled ‘Mimus’ a giant industrial robot which has been reprogrammed to interact with humans during a photocall at the fresh Design Museum in South Kensington, London
A fresh Israeli Da-Vinci unmanned aerial vehicle manufactured by Elbit Systems is displayed during the 4th International conference on Home Land Security and Cyber in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv
Electrification Guru Dr. Wolfgang Ziebart talks about the electrified Jaguar I-PACE concept SUV before it was unveiled before the Los Angeles Auto Showcase in Los Angeles, California, U.S
The Jaguar I-PACE Concept car is the commence of a fresh era for Jaguar. This is a production preview of the Jaguar I-PACE, which will be exposed next year and on the road in 2018
Japan’s On-Art Corp’s CEO Kazuya Kanemaru poses with his company’s eight metre tall dinosaur-shaped mechanical suit robot ‘TRX03’ and other robots during a demonstration in Tokyo, Japan
Japan’s On-Art Corp’s eight metre tall dinosaur-shaped mechanical suit robot ‘TRX03’
Japan’s On-Art Corp’s eight metre tall dinosaur-shaped mechanical suit robot ‘TRX03’ performs during its unveiling in Tokyo, Japan
Singulato Motors co-founder and CEO Shen Haiyin poses in his company’s concept car Tigercar P0 at a workshop in Beijing, China
The interior of Singulato Motors’ concept car Tigercar P0 at a workshop in Beijing, China
Singulato Motors’ concept car Tigercar P0
A picture shows Singulato Motors’ concept car Tigercar P0 at a workshop in Beijing, China
Connected company president Shigeki Tomoyama addresses a press briefing as he elaborates on Toyota’s “connected strategy” in Tokyo. The Connected company is a part of seven Toyota in-house companies that was created in April 2016
A Toyota Motors employee demonstrates a smartphone app with the company’s pocket plug-in hybrid (PHV) service on the cockpit of the latest Prius hybrid vehicle during Toyota’s “connected strategy” press briefing in Tokyo
An exhibitor charges the battery cells of AnyWalker, an ultra-mobile chasis robot which is able to stir in any kind of environment during Singapore International Robo Expo
A robot with a touch-screen information apps stroll down the pavillon at the Singapore International Robo Expo
An exhibitor demonstrates the AnyWalker, an ultra-mobile chasis robot which is able to stir in any kind of environment during Singapore International Robo Expo
Robotic fishes swim in a water glass tank displayed at the Korea pavillon during Singapore International Robo Expo
An employee shows a Samsung Electronics’ Gear S3 Classic during Korea Electronics Showcase two thousand sixteen in Seoul, South Korea
Visitors practice Samsung Electronics’ Gear VR during the Korea Electronics Grand Fair at an exhibition hall in Seoul, South Korea
Amy Rimmer, Research Engineer at Jaguar Land Rover, demonstrates the car manufacturer’s Advanced Highway Assist in a Range Rover, which drives the vehicle, overtakes and can detect vehicles in the blind spot, during the very first demonstrations of the UK Autodrive Project at HORIBA MIRA Proving Ground in Nuneaton, Warwickshire
Chris Burbridge, Autonomous Driving Software Engineer for Tata Motors European Technical Centre, demonstrates the car manufacturer’s GLOSA V2X functionality, which is connected to the traffic lights and shares information with the driver, during the very first demonstrations of the UK Autodrive Project at HORIBA MIRA Proving Ground in Nuneaton, Warwickshire
Ford EEBL Emergency Electronic Brake Lights is demonstrated during the very first demonstrations of the UK Autodrive Project at HORIBA MIRA Proving Ground in Nuneaton, Warwickshire
Full-scale model of ‘Kibo’ on display at the Space Dome exhibition hall of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Tsukuba Space Center, in Tsukuba, north-east of Tokyo, Japan
Miniatures on display at the Space Dome exhibition hall of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Tsukuba Space Center, in Tsukuba, north-east of Tokyo, Japan. In its facilities, JAXA develop satellites and analyse their observation data, train astronauts for utilization in the Japanese Experiment Module ‘Kibo’ of the International Space Station (ISS) and develop launch vehicles
The robot developed by Seed Solutions sings and dances to the music during the Japan Robot Week two thousand sixteen at Tokyo Big View. At this biennial event, the participating companies exhibit their latest service robotic technologies and components
The robot developed by Seed Solutions sings and dances to music during the Japan Robot Week two thousand sixteen at Tokyo Big View
Government and industry are working together on a robot-like autopilot system that could eliminate the need for a 2nd human pilot in the cockpit
Aurora Flight Sciences’ technicians work on an Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automantion System (ALIAS) device in the rock hard’s Centaur aircraft at Manassas Airport in Manassas, Va.
43/43 Flight Simulator
Stefan Schwart and Udo Klingenberg preparing a self-built flight simulator to land at Hong Kong airport, from Rostock, Germany
“One hundred years ago, urban transport went underground, now we have the technological wherewithal to go above ground,” said Airbus CEO Tom Enders at the DLD conference in Munich, according to Reuters. “We are in an experimentation phase, we take this development very earnestly.
Aeromobil flying car crashes during critical test
“With flying, you don’t need to pour billions into concrete bridges and roads.”
Airbus envisages a future in which people are able to book flying taxis through an app, in a similar manner to Uber.
The future of transport is a particularly hot topic at the moment, with Nissan yesterday announcing that it will stage driverless car trials on public roads in London next month, the very first of their kind to take place in Europe.
