Aurora Flight Sciences is a subsidiary company of Boeing that is doing research on an all-electric autonomous aircraft that would be used to transfer people around a city, much like the system that Uber uses. It would be charged in docking stations that would be erected around the city in which it will operate. This aircraft was recently tested by vertical takeoff and hovering with the company looking to test the other directions of flight. In addition to the transport of people, this service will be used for the transportation of cargo.
Although Boeing is the biggest company that is working on this issue, there are other companies that have tested their own versions of this type of aircraft. The Alpha One prototype that was built by Airbus also accomplished a similar feat of vertical flight and hovering. However, unlike Boeing that has a partnership with Uber to implement their new aircraft into the already existing network that Uber has developed Airbus is looking to create its own network.
Although this is a great idea that has many benefits that it could provide for the public in terms of transportation there are also a lot of drawbacks that it will bring. Security being one of the main concerns as there is the threat of the aircraft being hacked or midair collisions.
The importance of good communication will be important mainly in the digital side of things. There needs to be efficient and secure communication between whatever server is being used as a control station and the individual aircraft. Also, clear communication of the dangers that can be associated with using this mode of transportation will need to be adequately explained to the customers of this mode of transportation failure to explain the risks that can come with this could result in lawsuits that could severely affect the company in question or the concept as a whole.