What driver stuck in traffic has not daydreamed of flying across the city? Electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, known as eVTOLs, will soon be more than just a dream. As they are much simpler, cheaper, greener and quieter than conventional helicopters, eVTOLs could be ideal for short-range passenger flights across large cities. And, with several billion euros of investment in 2021 alone, the first models may be approved by air-safety regulators as early as this year or next.
Most designs look similar to a car, with room for four or five people, and use many small rotors to take off and land like a helicopter. Some will fly without a pilot but be monitored from the ground. Depending on the specific design, eVTOLs will have a range of over 250 kilometres or a top speed of more than 300 kilometres per hour. The leading start-ups in this field are based in China, California and Germany, but big players like Airbus and Boeing are involved, too. With all this investment, expect to see air taxis in the sky quite soon.