In the future, people will be traveling by flying taxis. At least that's how Airbus imagines the future of public transportation.
According to The Verge, Airbus is working on an on-demand aviation project hailed as Vahana. The Vahana is just one of three stages of the A³ initiative which is mainly involved in the development of vertical take-off and landing or VTOL aircraft.
Airbus has been developing the technology for more than a year now. It plans on releasing a fleet of the VTOL aircrafts that will take off and land on rooftops to avoid any kind of traffic issues. The flying taxis will be self-driving or self-piloting electric vehicles with a number of rotors.
Mashable pointed out that that the process of getting a flying taxi will be as easy as pressing a button on one's smartphone. As mentioned, the VTOL project will likely employ an on-demand deployment method similar to how Uber functions. In the video, a computer generated person named Deborah punches in the details on her smartphone through an app that allows her to request for a ride. The details include boarding time, departure and arrival helipads, estimated flight time, and the fare. Vahana then lands on the nearest vertiport and then coordinates with air traffic control to determine a deconflicted flight path.
Once the passenger is on board the flying taxi, the VTOL aircraft will perform flight safety checks before it asks the passenger to initiate takeoff. It takes off vertically before proceeding with its predetermined flight path. While in the air, the flying taxi can detect any possible obstructions such as birds.
Airbus is not the only major company or country dreaming of taking to the skies. Uber for one is set on releasing its fleet of flying taxis in Dubai by 2020. Singapore also has expressed its plans to have flying taxis in its skies in the next thirteen years. As for Airbus, it will unveil its vision next week at the Paris Air Show.
