Electric air taxis take flight with new developments

Daily transportation via electric air taxi may have sounded far-fetched just a few years ago, but thanks to steady investment and technological advancements, the concept is getting closer to reality.

Electric aircraft manufacturer Joby Aviation and Skyports Infrastructure are developing a moveable passenger terminal, called a “Living Lab,” where they will test technologies and procedures to shape how customers experience vertical flight.

The Living Lab will travel throughout the United States for the next 18 months to promote acceptance of the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, says Duncan Walker, CEO of Skyports. The Living Lab will be “instrumental” in winning over regulators, government officials and the public.

“Our aim is to develop vertiport infrastructure that delivers a zero-wait check-in experience for customers,” Walker continues, “and we’re delighted to be working with Joby, one of the leading companies in this sector to prepare for that future.”

Eric Allison, head of product at Joby, expects the eVTOL aircraft “to revolutionize the way we travel in and around cities,” with people bypassing traffic and flying directly to their destination at more than 200 miles per hour.

“But to realize the vision of everyday flight, we need to deliver a seamless and more rapid experience on the ground,” Allison adds. “The Living Lab will allow us to rethink the terminal experience, keeping our customers front and center throughout their entire journey.”

The Living Lab was unveiled ahead of Joby’s Oct. 13 Field Trip event, when the company will open its pilot production facility in Marina, Calif., to partners and investors who can see behind the scenes. Founded in 2019, Joby is currently building its first eVTOL aircraft prototype, which is powered by six electric motors and takes off and lands vertically.

The Living Lab will allow us to rethink the terminal experience, keeping our customers front and center throughout their entire journey.

Eric Allison - Joby

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Joby raised $590 million in January 2020 in a round led by Toyota Motor Corporation, which invested $394 million. Joby and Japanese airline ANA announced in February that they are collaborating to create passenger hop services from downtown locations to airports.

Earlier this year, London-based Skyports announced a project, funded by the United Kingdom government, to develop a vertiport at an airfield in London. The company’s European vertiport testbed will launch in November at an airfield in Paris.

Founded in 2018, Skyports raised $23 million in March 2022 to expand its electric air taxi infrastructure and drone operations.

Boeing-backed autonomous air taxi

Meanwhile, California-based Wisk Aero has unveiled what it calls the “world’s first self-flying, all-electric, four-passenger” eVTOL air taxi. Wisk says the Generation 6 combines autonomous technology and software, human oversight of every flight, a simplified design and a safety-first approach.

Gary Gysin, CEO of Wisk, says the latest aircraft “is the culmination of years of hard work from our industry-leading team, learnings from our previous generations of aircraft, commitment from our investors and the evolution and advancement of technology.”

In January, Wisk secured $450 million in funding from the Boeing Company to develop its Generation Six aircraft.

Wisk’s air taxi has a 50-foot wingspan, can travel up to 90 miles with reserves and reaches an altitude of up to 4,000 feet. Generation 6 incorporates a number of accessibility features, according to the company. The company’s price target is $3 per passenger, per mile.

Founded in 2010, Wisk later merged with Kitty Hawk Corporation.

First flight in Italy

Aeroporti di Roma, Atlantia, UrbanV and air-mobility company Volocopter announced they have completed the first crewed eVTOL test flights in Italian airspace at Fiumicino’s Leonardo da Vinci International Airport in Rome’s metro area.

The Volocopter 2X flew 25 miles per hour for five minutes at approximately 130 feet off the ground in a “figure 8” flight path. The electric air taxi is designed for “quick and emission-free passenger flights in urban environments over congested roads and waterways,” according to the company.

In March 2022, Germany-based Volocopter raised $170 million in Series E funding to help certify and launch its electric passenger air taxi.

The companies call the flight a “key milestone toward the envisioned rollout of advanced air mobility (AAM) services in Rome by 2024,” when an air taxi is expected to fly the approximately 19 miles from the airport into the city.

The test flight comes one year after the first eVTOL prototype was showcased in Italy. In the past 12 months, significant progress has been made on flight technology, vertiport design and regulations, according to the companies.

Italy also has its first fully functional vertiport, which consists of a takeoff-and-landing area, a parking lot, a covered hangar and various rooms, including an office, a warehouse and a battery-charging station.

In February, Air Asia announced a deal with Avolon to lease 100 eVTOL aircraft to provide advanced air mobility to passengers.

In September, United Airlines invested $15 million in Eve Air Mobility with an agreement to purchase up to 400 of its electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. The investment came less than one month after United paid $10 million to Archer Aviation for 100 of its eVTOL aircraft.

Also last month, MintAir ordered up to 40 Jaunt eVTOL aircraft. The partnership between the South Korea-based company and U.S.-based Jaunt also sees MintAir become Jaunt’s exclusive AAM partner in Korea.