Airbus has just showcased its idea of the future of urban transportation. The company has revealed the CityBus NextGen, which is an autonomous flying electric vehicle that could be available in the future.

For those unaware, the company had revealed the CityBus concept for the first time back in 2019. However, back then, the design was akin to an eVTOL (Electric Vertical Take Off and Landing) vehicle and had eight rotors and was autonomously piloted. And now, the company has iterated on the design and form factor of this multi passenger vehicle, making it more sleek with a new futuristic aesthetic that resembles vehicles from a sci fi movie.

According to ExecutiveTraveller, this is Airbus’ attempt into entering the emerging Urban Air Mobility (UAM) market. The CityBus NextGen is a fully electric airborne vehicle, which can function as a flying Uber/taxi or as a personal shuttle. In the new design, the flying vehicle now features a V shaped tail, which repackages its eight electrically powered propellers. The company claims that it will be exceptionally quiet during fly over and landing. Airbus Helicopters CEO Bruno Even stated that “We are on a quest to co-create an entirely new market that sustainably integrates urban air mobility into the cities while addressing environmental and social concerns.”

He further added that “Airbus is convinced that the real challenges are as much about urban integration, public acceptance, and automated air traffic management, as about vehicle technology and business models. We build on all of the capabilities to deliver a safe, sustainable, and fully integrated service to society.” Similar to its predecessor, the CityBus NextGen can carry up to four passengers in a zero emission flight with a targeted range of 80 kilometers at a 120km/h cruise speed.

RELATED:

• Japan Airlines seeks to enter flying car business by fiscal year 2025
• Flying Taxis might be a reality in Europe as early as 2024: Regulator
• Hyundai Motor partners with Seoul city to commercialize air taxis

The post Airbus showcases CityBus NextGen, an autonomous flying electric vehicle appeared first on Gizmochina.

A trailblazer in Urban Air Mobility (UAM), Volocopter has announced its plans to launch air taxi services in Singapore after two years of close collaboration with the city-state’s authorities. In a collaboration with the Economic Development Board of Singapore (EDB) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), Volocopter has plans to make air taxi services a reality in Singapore within three years. This puts Singapore in pole position to be the first country in Asia to launch UAM services.

In October 2019, Volocopter completed the historic air taxi demonstration flight across the Marina Bay area of the city, giving observers the unique opportunity of savoring the elegance and efficiency of UAM services. Before the launch of this service in Singapore, the company will obtain requisite regulatory clearance from CAAS and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. To this end, Volocopter will be conducting rigorous tests, flight trials, all statutory evaluations, and certifications before approval to commence commercial air taxi operations can be granted.

In order to shore up the commercial aspects of the air taxi services, the first route is expected to transcend over the southern waters, providing breath-taking views of the Marina Bay skyline and would most likely be a tourist delight. Follow-on connections could include cross-border flights, which will further strengthen regional connectivity and provide a better travel experience to the country’s economic centers.

The Volocopter air taxis are carbon emission-free aircraft that take-off and land vertically. They are designed as an addition to urban mobility and are capable of carrying two passengers to their destinations in a seamless and quiet manner, thus offering an innovative dimension to the chaotic transportation systems that have characterized many cities.

The company Volocopter GmbH says (via) it is building what it termed the world’s first sustainable and scalable UAM business so as to bring affordable air taxi services to megacities worldwide. The company collaborates with its partners to build the necessary ecosystem that will berth urban air mobility in smart cities.

Founded in 2011, Volocopter currently has about 200 staff and so far raised about €122 million in equity. The Volocopter was first unveiled at CES 2018. It uses four inertial movement units (IMUs) that constantly measure and determine its attitude and positioning during flight. The battery system is split into nine discrete packs and each one is powering a pair of rotors ensuring that the vehicle keeps flying if one or two battery packs fail.

Then there are GPS and navigation systems which are dual-redundant. For the worst situation, there’s a ballistic parachute that will deploy and ensure that the air taxi returns to the ground with its passengers intact.

UP NEXT: Exclusive: Xiaomi’s Mi Watch Lite to launch tomorrow; priced under $60

The post Volocopter hints its air taxi services will go commercial in Singapore in 2023 appeared first on Gizmochina.