According to the United Nations (UN), 68% of the world’s population will live in urban areas by 2050, with 55% of the population already living in the cities. As the percentage increases, there’s a real need for more innovative mobility solutions, such as urban air mobility (UAM).
Currently, transportation and deliveries take place on the ground, but companies are tapping into the air to relieve some of the transportation strain. Major cities, such as Singapore, Dubai and Dallas, have already been experimenting with UAM projects, but some challenges have to be overcome.
Several big names have entered the UAM space and are wasting no time getting investors and testing products.
Urban-Air Port
Founded in 2019 in the U.K., Urban-Air Port designs, develops, manufactures and operates various infrastructure solutions. Catering to passenger air taxis, disaster emergency management, defense and cargo logistics, the start-up raises $25.7 million during Series A funding. Companies like Hyundai, M7 Real Estate and The Dymond Group of Companies have already invested.
Urban-Air Port may be most known for Air One, a vertiport used with passenger air taxi services that can be implemented with water, rooftop or ground operations. The architecture is scalable, modular and reusable, arriving flat-packed while incorporating autonomous systems and renewable sources for more sustainable air mobility.
SkyDrive
This Japanese firm develops and manufactures eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft and cargo drones. By 2025, SkyDrive plans to debut a flying car in Osaka, showcasing how one of the vehicles can be requested by consumers to fly to a specific destination. The seating capacity of the aircraft is three, with a take-off weight of 3,100 pounds, a maximum cruising speed of 62 mph and a flying range of up to nine miles. The firm is also developing SkyLift, which is a cargo drone that can carry materials up to 66 pounds per flight.
AutoFlight
Originally called AutoFlightX, this company develops and manufactures electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for commercial and civilian needs. The flagship products include Prosperity I, a vehicle that carries up to four passengers with a range of up to 155 miles and a maximum cruising speed of more than 124 mph. AutoFlight has also made CarryAll, designed for transporting goods across the same range as Prosperity I, but with a maximum cargo capacity of up to 882 pounds.
Manna Drones
Specializing in drone delivery solutions, Manna Drones has made more than 150,000 delivery flights in Europe and is now available in select U.S. cities. This Irish company has partnered with top brands, such as Dunkin’ Donuts and Samsung, to deliver consumer purchases. Average delivery time tends to be around three minutes, allowing customers to receive goods quickly.
With such a heavy focus on air mobility technology, it’s only a matter of time before the equipment and services are mainstream. Just as there was a boom of internet companies and providers with the birth of the technology, so will be the future of air travel and delivery.
Advantages
While air taxis will never replace airplanes, they will provide an alternative for intra-city traveling, offering a more efficient and faster method compared with traditional land travel. The purpose of UAM is to provide an option for short-distance travel. Upcoming technology contains several advantages, one of the most important being that there will be fewer vehicles on the road, relieving some of the urban congestion. Less traffic has a ripple effect, providing fewer carbon emissions and decreasing the overall noise. All in all, this form of travel promotes a cleaner city.
But why not focus more on electric public transportation to promote a healthier environment? For conventional electric transportation, cities must invest in extensive infrastructure, including charging stations or overhead wiring, to power bigger vehicles. Yet, with UAM, transportation hubs are often constructed in conjunction with other facilities, such as airports. Because new property doesn’t need to be sourced and the location is already prepared for air travel, operations are centralized.
It’s impossible to talk about air transportation without touching on the drone delivery aspect. Urban Air Mobility moves beyond passenger transport to alleviate some pressures from delivery services. With the use of drone technology, UAM also offers faster deliveries and reduces the amount of commercial traffic on city streets.
Challenges
Despite all the benefits of UAM, clear challenges must be overcome. For starters, the safety of this newer technology needs to be proven. Even though studies prove that aviation is one of the safest modes of transportation, public perception can often believe otherwise. Consumers need to see this transportation in action before they have the confidence to use it regularly.
There’s also a lot of red tape with air traffic, causing more regulations and policies that need to be worked out. Routes must be ironed out so that they don’t disrupt everyday airport traffic. Additionally, air taxis are going to transport passengers from one station to another instead of from Point A to Point B, initially until technology and infrastructure expand further. Therefore, there needs to be integration with other transportation methods to get the passengers to their destination.
While the infrastructure development may be less overwhelming than with EV land travel, new equipment still needs to be built. For wide-area expansion, landing pads and maintenance facilities need to be constructed. These landing pads need to be strategically placed for maximum travel efficiency. The most ideal locations may be difficult to build in with space constraints and existing buildings in place.
Air taxis may be a key source of transportation in and around cities as populations move more toward urban areas. Source: Firefly/Adobe Stock
Future of UAM
This year has already been a good year for the development of UAM and advanced air mobility (AAM). This will only accelerate in the coming years.
Just one year ago, the FAA published an AAM report that projects a high-level view showcasing how a majority of urban and advanced air mobility services will be deployed in the United States by 2028. From 2025 to 2028, the study reveals that most technologies and services will rely on existing heliports and airports, with some modifications until new infrastructure can be established. Based on the Global AAM/UAM Market Map, 46 cities/regions are already under development in the United States as of January 2024.
Following close behind in UAM development is Europe, which is projected to grow at an incredible rate by 2030, according to research from Markets and Markets. France and Germany seem to be among the top countries investing in developing and procuring eVTOL systems, especially for commercial purposes.
While there’s a heavy focus on air taxis and commercial drone delivery services for the upcoming years, there will also be a growth of traditional ground transportation options relying on electric power in the future. It’s safe to assume that the next few years will be groundbreaking and full of options for the average urban commuter.
About the author
Brian Jones is an ASE Certified Master Technician and owns a small business in the automotive industry. He is also an experienced technical writer.
