Volocopter, a German start-up in the field of electric aviation, has unveiled an unmanned flying taxi to transport passengers from the suburbs to the city.
The company said the four-seater Follow Connect taxi is designed to have a range of up to 64 miles (100 km), making it well-suited for trips between the suburbs and the city.
Follow Connect features a hybrid lift-and-thrust design that we often see in small helicopters. Vertical lift is facilitated by 6 propellers parallel to the fuselage and connected to two wings.
It also comes with 6 electric motors, two large propellers on each side, and also contains 3 wheels that retract in and out of the belly of the plane during takeoff and landing.
The German-based startup said the new vehicle can reach a flight speed of 112 miles per hour (180 km/h), and a top speed of about 155 miles per hour (250 km/h).
Florian Reuter, CEO of Volocopter, said: “This taxi will enable urban mobility while covering longer distances and embodies the next dimension of our mission to provide affordable, efficient and sustainable flights to cities around the world.
Volocopter aims to start commercial operations in Singapore by 2023 and has already sold 1,000 bookings for 15-minute tours.