Someday, perhaps, there will be flying taxis in the world that will fly over the city. However, at least today it seems too unrealistic.
However, Uber announced at the Elevate conference that it will roll out UberAIR as early as 2023.
Today, when city streets are filled with cars and there are huge traffic jams on the roads, this project seems to be a real magic.
Nevertheless, such projects will face difficulties, in particular, in the issue of air traffic regulation.
In addition, there are a number of difficulties that companies who decide to start creating this type of transport will have to face.
Below we will tell you more about them.
The need to transfer flight control to computers
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Flying taxis of the future will do most of the operations on their own using automated systems.
At first, the service will be provided with the participation of a pilot, but many note that if the trend continues, there will be an acute shortage of pilots, which already exists in civil aviation.
Automated systems are already at the development stage, however, it is still very far from the moment of their implementation.
An intermediate option is also possible, when the system performs most of the operations on its own, but under the supervision of the pilot, who tells what to do and where to fly.
This option seems to be the closest to implementation. However, creating a passenger-safe system under the control of a pilot who requires minimal training still seems too ambitious.
It is especially important to note the fact that such systems will have to function in various weather conditions, which will not always be ideal.
The need to electrify the system
While a number of small aircraft may already make up the flying taxi fleet that Uber dreams of, the company still believes it is better to use the vehicles powered by electricity.
This is due to the fact that the electric motor is simpler, more reliable and easier to control than engines that run on combustible fuels, the company said.
Some experts believe that it is still difficult to achieve the creation of an electric motor of such power, which would allow such devices to fly.
Nevertheless, some still believe that this is possible with existing technologies.
Not so long ago, Uber announced a partnership with a startup Karem, which develops electric aircraft.
Devices should be cheap
The use of electricity may not restrict the construction of such devices too much, but it is also necessary to make them cheap to build.
This is due to the taxation system, and also to the fact that in order for such a project to pay off, hundreds of flying vehicles are needed.
The automotive industry has shown that the use of modern technology can significantly reduce production costs.
However, the requirements for aircraft are higher than for cars. It should be lightweight, safe and crash tested.
Thus, the requirements for manufacturing must also be higher and the manufacturing of spare parts must meet higher standards.
And this, according to the expert, is quite difficult and costly.
Perhaps something similar will exist in the future, but now technology does not allow to achieve all the necessary requirements, and it will take more than one decade before the industry begins to create devices that meet all the necessary characteristics.
It is necessary to make the devices quiet
Finally, the noise. All flying taxis must operate in an urban environment where noise levels are regulated.
All airports are located on the outskirts of cities or outside them, so if we are talking about planes or helicopters, then their noise is heard in a limited area.
But this will not work with flying taxis, because they will have to deliver passengers within the city.
That is why flying taxis need to be very quiet.
Building a quiet flying taxi will require innovation.
Perhaps the design of the propeller or blades will be changed.
In any case, it will take a long time to create an optimal design and test it.
According to experts' forecasts, even 5 years is too short a period for the implementation of such plans.
Will there be Uber?
To implement such ambitious plans, it will take at least 10 years, notes the Uber company.
According to a number of experts, this period is not enough.
However, it's not just about technology development and innovation.
A number of experts doubt that Uber will even exist in ten years.
These doubts have arisen due to the difficulties experienced by the company.
Flying taxis and birds
Every year, many birds are killed by collisions with planes and helicopters in the air.
Moreover, the higher the plane flies, the more chances it will collide with a bird.
Experts believe that if such a project becomes a business, it will lead to massive deaths of birds. But the point is not only in the death of birds, although there is something to think about for animal defenders, but also in the fact that such collisions lead to damage to the aircraft, and the amount for repairs, as a rule, is considerable.
And since flying taxis will be smaller in size than an airplane, a collision with large birds can lead to sad results not only for birds, but also for passengers of the device.