On January 23, Boeing tested its new air taxi prototype. For the planes first flight it only used its four electrically driven rotors to lift the plane vertically off of the ground. It is similar to how a drone or helicopter would take off as it is equipped with skids and no wheels. Once off the ground the vehicle would be propelled forward by a single propeller on the back. The total time for this test flight lasted under a minute but it was a success for the Boeing team as their prototype was able to lift off. During this short time the on board autonomous system was briefly tested. This vehicle was originally only a design but within a year it became reality with the working prototype. The plane is completely electrically driven and is expected to get a range of 50 miles with a top speed of 150 mph off of one battery charge. It is designed for short trips around a city like a taxi or an Uber without having to go through traffic. Boeing has partnered with Uber’s Elevate program who has plans to be operating air taxis in major cities like Dallas and Los Angeles within four years.
The FAA has had some concerns with communication as the plane is autonomous. Since there is no pilot flying this vehicle it can be considered a safety hazard as it will be flying overtop of highly populated areas. The article did not mention if it is capable of handling other air traffic and if it would be able to avoid other aircrafts. Boeing’s air taxi has raised additional questions of how ATC will handle an autonomous vehicle. As of right now this technology is years away from becoming reality and by then we might have answers to all of these questions.