London could see electric flying taxis transporting airport passengers as early as 2028, a British aerospace company has announced. Vertical Aerospace aims for its Valo aircraft, designed to carry up to six passengers, to secure regulatory approval within three years. Initial commercial routes are expected to include vital airport-to-city centre connections. The public will have the chance to view a full-scale prototype of the innovative vehicle at an open house event in Canary Wharf this Wednesday.
Flying solo like a bird has been humanity's long-time dream. Amid various ways and options already figured out, the idea has not reached mass adoption. Wingsuits and jetpacks are only flying people for experimental purposes. Beyond those, there has been a vision to build electric and solar-powered propulsion systems to get us off the ground, and that dream is now taking a turn into the realm of reality with the world's first electric air speeder, the LEO Solo JetBike.
The transportation scene is about to be transformed in profound ways over the coming decade, as artificial intelligence (AI) and energy storage tech advance. Undoubtedly, robotaxis have been hogging the headlines of late, with new autonomous ride-hailing solutions rolling out in new markets. Whether we're talking about Alphabet ( NASDAQ:GOOG) Waymo or the Tesla ( NASDAQ:TSLA) Cybercab, there's a lot to look forward to as the dream of self-driving vehicles looks to drive into the mainstream.
