The prediction that we will have flying cars by 2025 might not be that far from reality, as major cities around the world race to develop flying taxis.
While 2025 might come a bit soon for that original bold prediction, several cities have a 2026 deadline planned for their airborne taxi projects.
Getting a ride in flying taxis might seem a little dystopian, but the race to get them working is on.
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For instance, we recently heard about the UK government setting up a plan to make flying taxis operational within two years and commercially available by 2030.
That isn’t too far if you look at it from a broader perspective.
Many cities are competing to get hold of eVTOLs — electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft — and are testing them all the time.
Some make it to the headlines, and some don’t.
For instance, Dubai signed a deal with a California-based company to launch an eVTOL fleet of flying taxis by next year.
The powers that be in New York City are also working with the same company – Joby Aviation – to get flying taxis off the ground by 2025, in both a literal and figurative sense.
To be clear, eVTOLs aren’t just flying taxis or cars, as the term also includes drones.
Drones can significantly help any large city make deliveries, emergency service provision, and surveillance better than it is currently.
That surveillance bit is definitely a bit dystopian.
Moreover, large countries and smaller ones like Indonesia announced their intent to have flying taxis in the near future.
Only last month, China also saw the completion of an air taxi’s first inter-city flight.
That’s a lot of countries testing eVTOL flying taxis.
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So what’s with the hurry?
While competition is definitely good for the manufacturers, developing eVTOL technology will supposedly benefit everyone.
The people and the governments will benefit from flying taxis and assistance drones.
It’s a win-win.
Developing air taxis won’t be enough, though.
Since these will be aerial vehicles, they will require a dedicated place to land and take off.
A mini airport, if you will.
You won’t necessarily be taking an air taxi to another city like an Uber, but rather, go to an airport and get one.
An aerial taxi stand? Who knows what the term will be?
We might not have long to wait before we find out.
The images used in this article were generated with AI
