"Taxi Fare for Cars at Twice the Level"
It is expected that you will be able to ride a 'Sky Taxi' across the skies of Paris, France, for about 160,000 won.
The official name of the Sky Taxi is Urban Air Mobility (UAM), which refers to the next-generation advanced transportation system that transports people and cargo in urban environments based on electric-powered, low-noise aircraft and vertical takeoff and landing pads.
Paris Airport Group (ADP) announced on the 16th (local time), as reported by Yonhap News on the 17th, that it plans to set the cost of the pilot operation of the 'flying taxi' in Paris, France, during the Summer Olympics next year at around 110 euros (about 160,000 won).
Augustin de Romanet, CEO of ADP, appeared on France Info broadcasting and said that the cost of crossing Paris by helicopter is about twice that of a car taxi, calling it "a very reasonable price" and adding, "Everyone will be able to use it."
ADP plans to sell thousands of 'Air Taxi' tickets traveling between Saint-Cyr-l'?cole, located southwest of Paris, Le Bourget on the northeastern outskirts, and between Le Bourget and the Seine riverside at Paris's southeastern Austerlitz area during the Paris Olympics from July 26 to August 11, 2024.
CEO de Romanet predicted that the vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) market worldwide will explode in growth around 2028-2029, explaining that the Paris Olympics period will be a good opportunity to examine the economic feasibility of flying taxis.
He also emphasized that flying taxis have the advantage of preventing situations where ambulances carrying critically ill patients cannot reach hospitals on time due to severe traffic congestion in large cities.
Countries Worldwide Enter 'Future Mobility Competition'... Korea to Commercialize by 2025
Meanwhile, as Sky Taxi is regarded as a core future mobility, countries around the world have already entered into technological competition.
The Korean government also announced a ‘Mobility Innovation Roadmap’ last September as a strategy to proactively respond to the future mobility era.
According to the roadmap, UAM is expected to operate on specific routes in the metropolitan area (urban↔airport) in 2025. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to officially introduce UAM services in 2025 and expand services to major regions by 2030.
Won Hee-ryong, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "UAM is a game changer for urban transportation that will allow us to escape increasingly congested roads and fully utilize air routes," adding, "To establish this new transportation system quickly, the government will actively perform its role in areas such as promoting UAM demonstration and pilot projects based on cooperation with the private sector, legislating laws centered on regulatory exceptions, conducting research and development (R&D) to enhance technological competitiveness, and international cooperation."
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