Airbus Reveals Newest Flying Taxi Prototype

Airbus Reveals Newest Flying Taxi Prototype

Published: September 30, 2021 | By: American Luxury Staff

Airbus has been toiling away on the evolutionary leap of the humble taxicab for a few years now. The European firm calls the working draft the CityAirbus, and got an initial test flight off the ground in 2019.

The latest version of the airborne conveyance comes with significant design change. Airbus unwrapped the revised skycab at its annual Pioneering Sustainable Aerospace summit, which attempts to tackle the unbelievably complex and ambitious project. Issues involved range from air traffic management and vehicle noise reduction to urban integration and automation and aeronautical technology.

The new version of the CityAirbus—called NextGen—drops the giant drone design in favor of a fixed-wing foundation and a V-shaped tail. The airborne conveyance now gets vertical lift from eight propellers. It can accommodate four adults, including a pilot, and can make its rounds at 75 MPH.

But a sky packed with taxis is still a long way off. The first fleets of the Airbus flying taxi may be in service by 2030.

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