Boeing – the largest US aircraft manufacturer – has completed the first test of its new autonomous, electric flying vehicle, which could one day be used as an alternative to road taxis in big cities. The test lasted a few seconds, with the vehicle lifting off the ground and returning to the ground at the Manassas test field in Virginia. After evaluating the first data collected, in the coming months different on-board systems will be tested and the vehicle's ability to take off vertically and then move horizontally with its wings, once the right altitude is reached.
The test was carried out by Aurora Flight Science, an aeronautical research and development company, acquired by Boeing in 2017. The company is one of the main partners of Uber, which has the ambitious goal of supporting its chauffeured car services a new transport system based on “flying taxis”. The project, which is called Uber Air, is expected to lead to the commissioning of the first vehicles by 2023, although many observers are skeptical that everything is ready so soon.
The recently tested prototype resembles a cross between a touring plane and a large drone: it is about 9 meters long and reaches a wingspan of 8.5 meters; a system of independent propellers allows vertical take-off and subsequent attitude change to make the vehicle move horizontally like an airplane. The power supply is electric and, according to Boeing, the system has a range of around 80 kilometers. However, the battery life has not yet been tested in conditions other than those of the flight simulations, so it could turn out to be different than what has been stated so far.
Boeing is the largest company in the aviation industry to have started experimenting with flying vehicles of this type, and it is certainly among the companies with the most economic resources and knowledge to carry out such an ambitious project. The biggest challenge will be linked to the use of efficient batteries and motors, which reduce energy consumption and allow you to maintain an acceptable range for traveling. At the same time, Boeing is experimenting with a system for transporting material, through a drone that can carry up to 230 kilograms of cargo.
In recent years, the sector of small flying vehicles, designed for transport from one area to another in large cities, has become quite crowded with companies large and small busy developing their systems. In addition to Boeing and several startups, European Airbus is also working on its own flying vehicle. The company has already done some testing and plans to build its own fleet of flying taxis, which should be managed directly by the company. Instead, Boeing aims to act as a supplier to other companies such as Uber.
To date, the most complex plan for short-distance transport with flying vehicles is Uber's. The company imagines a future, now not so far away, where from the tops of the tallest skyscrapers in the cities it will be possible to take its flying taxis to move from one district to another avoiding traffic. The sector still needs to be regulated and there are concerns related to the safety and efficiency of the new system, which could slow its commissioning.
