Will the Day Come to Commute by 'Flying Taxi'... Development Accelerates [Juhyung Lim's Tech Talk]

Global Aviation Companies Surge Investment in 'Urban Air Mobility'
Increased Interest in Intercity Air Travel Since COVID-19
Leading Firms Include Germany's Lilium and UK's Vertical Aerospace
Challenges Like Noise and Infrastructure Shortages Must Be Overcome

Air taxi image revealed by the UK urban air mobility (UAM) startup 'Vertical Aerospace'. / Photo by Vertical Aerospace website capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Recently, global companies have shown intense interest in flying taxis, so-called 'Urban Air Mobility (UAM).' UAM is a concept that involves operating 3-4 passenger helicopters capable of vertical takeoff and landing in the middle of cities as public transportation, and it is considered a major urban transportation method in the near future.

The most active region for UAM investment is Europe. From startups to global corporations, billions of won are being invested in UAM development.

The most famous companies are Germany's 'Lilium' and the UK's 'Vertical Aerospace.' Both companies have developed prototype aircraft and are conducting test flights, securing thousands of orders through memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with various aviation companies.

The UAMs they are developing are equipped with four or more electric motors, reaching a top speed of 321 km/h and capable of flying 100-200 km. Since they can take off by simply charging the battery, there is no concern about pollution, and because the propellers are powered by electric motors, they produce much less noise compared to conventional gas turbine-based helicopters.

The 'Spirit of Innovation' electric aircraft unveiled by global aircraft engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce. It is equipped with batteries and power systems, which are key components of UAM. / Photo by Rolls-Royce

Not only startups but also large corporations are accelerating UAM development. Rolls-Royce, the world's largest aircraft engine manufacturer, recently flew the electric aircraft 'Spirit of Innovation,' equipped with a power system that can be installed in UAMs, achieving the highest speed ever recorded for an electric propulsion aircraft.

The concept of 'flying taxis' has long been imagined as a future transportation method, but active investment has only recently begun. Advances in battery and electric motor technology have made helicopter electrification easier, and above all, aviation companies' interest has been focused on this area.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic swept the global aviation industry last year, international travel demand has virtually frozen. Consequently, the popularity of large passenger aircraft, which aviation companies once boasted about, is rapidly declining.

Therefore, aviation companies are paying attention to regional air mobility, especially urban air mobility, as a new source of revenue. They have ambitious plans to solve chronic urban problems such as road congestion and automobile pollution through 'air taxis.'

Shai Weiss, CEO of the British airline Virgin Atlantic, after signing a contract in June to purchase 150 UAMs from Vertical Aerospace, predicted, "Vertical takeoff and landing UAMs will play a key role in connecting major city airports such as London and Manchester."

Air taxi unveiled by UAM developer Lilium. / Photo by Lilium

However, there are still challenges to overcome before UAM can be fully commercialized.

The biggest issue is noise. Although UAM noise is much lower than that of conventional helicopters using gas turbine engines, it is still too loud to operate between high-rise buildings and densely populated residential areas. Excessive aircraft noise can cause discomfort to residents and may also damage buildings or glass windows.

Regarding this, Shin Jaewon, head of Hyundai Group's UAM division, emphasized at the 5th Global Electric Vehicle Roundtable held on the 8th at Jeju International Convention Center, "The key to UAM commercialization is not battery performance or airframe development but noise and safety," adding, "Companies that achieve these two areas will be the ultimate winners in the UAM market."

The lack of UAM-related infrastructure is also an obstacle. When an era arrives where dozens of UAMs fly simultaneously over urban airspace, an urban-based air traffic control system must be established to prevent collisions and guide them. Additionally, massive investment must precede the development of dedicated airfields for UAM takeoff and landing.

Image of the world's first UAM urban airport 'Air One' revealed by Urban Airport / Photo by Urban Airport website capture

The first country to take steps to overcome these challenges is the UK. Urban-Airport, a UK startup developing UAM-related aviation systems, announced on the 17th of last month (local time) that, in collaboration with Hyundai Motor Company, it will complete the world's first dedicated UAM airport, 'Air One,' in Coventry by 2022.

Air One will serve as a prototype building for more than 65 UAM airports to be installed across the UK in the future and will also be used as a takeoff and landing site for logistics delivery drones.

Ricky Sandhu, CEO of Urban-Airport, stressed that global airport infrastructure must be established first to realize UAM, stating, "Once UAM is realized, the future of transportation will change forever. Connectivity between cities will be strengthened, traffic congestion problems will be solved, and pollution and environmental contamination will be reduced."