Which Top 3 Companies are in the Process of Designing World-Class Urban Air Mobility?

Ready to turn sci-fi into a reality? This decade is marked by evolutionary discoveries and innovations in the field of automation. Flying cars from sci-fi movies and anime will now become a reality. Top brands and start-ups like Airbus, Hyundai, Toyota, Boeing, and much more have taken it upon themselves to enter the urban air mobility market in this decade. As per a new report offered by Research Dive, the global urban air mobility market is anticipated to surge at a CAGR of 89.8% during the 2020-2027 timeframe. It won’t be long when metropolitan areas will be equipped with air travel to cover distances at a faster rate.

What is Urban Air Mobility (UAM)?

Urban air mobility is a term used in the aviation industry for on-demand and cargo-carrying or automated passenger air transportation services, flown without a pilot. Traffic is getting worse every day and urban air mobility is a way to travel without congestion and reduce traffic on the road. Nowadays, traffic is enhancing across all nations, for instance, in Ulan Bator (capital of Mongolia) the average speed of a car is around 13km/h and the driving speed during peak hours is 8.9km/h, as per the article published on dtnext.in. The news further claims that the city residents spend on an average 2.5 hours per day stuck in traffic.

City air taxis are in use in Mexico City and UAM is in practice in New York and Tokyo. Furthermore, flying taxis will be developed to decrease maintenance expenses and operating costs, therefore making intercity travel feasible and cost-effective for all people. Moreover, emergency services like organ and blood transport along with commercial usage will now be quicker due to urban air mobility.

Notable Companies of Urban Air Mobility

The top-notch UAM companies to watch for in this decade are listed as follows:

1. Airbus

Airbus, an European aerospace company, is on the verge of making 2 electric UAM vehicles. The goal is to provide short-hop flights from the heavily congested metropolitan areas to the city centers. The Vahana demonstrator is the first autonomous eVTOL by Airbus A3, the Silicon Valley team of the company. The vehicle can carry one passenger in a forward-facing cockpit. The prototype has 31 miles range or flight time of 20 minutes. Apart from this, the company is developing ‘CityAirbus’ and testing it in Germany under the company’s Helicopter division. The CityAirbus is an eVTOL that has four seats and is piloted autonomously.

2. Kitty Hawk

Kitty Hawk is established by the Alphabet CEO and Google co-founder Larry Page. Kitty Hawk is a start-up company and has developed 3 electric flying vehicles. However, only 2 prototypes are set to fly in the suburban air taxi market. Moreover, the start-up company is creating Cora, an air taxi in collaboration with Boeing. Cora is designed to fly via autopilot systems that will be governed by a remote human operator. The range of Cora is around 62 miles and is fully electric.

3. Uber Air

Uber Air has a name for itself in the market and it won’t take long for the company to be the pioneers in the UAM. The company is currently working with 6 aircraft manufacturers for developing eVTOL aircraft for aerial ridesharing. The companies pitched in for the project are Bell, EmbraerX, Boeing, Jaunt Air Mobility, Pipistrel, and Karem Aircraft. Apart from this, the company has stated that it will be ready to fly in Los Angeles, Dallas, and Melbourne by 2023. The period is a rather ambitious one as it takes around 10 years for a conventional aircraft to be certified.

Covid-19 Impact on the Urban Air Mobility Market

The global urban air mobility market is anticipated to face a negative impact during the Covid-19 pandemic. The reason for the market decline is disruptions in the supply chain which lead to the delay in the production process of UAMs. However, the market participants are pitching in to combat the disturbances in the industry. For example, in February 2020, Ehang Holdings Limited, an autonomous aerial vehicle technology platform company, declared the incorporation of UAM for medical emergencies. This can help to fight coronavirus disease.

Final Thoughts

Urban air mobility is a great way to augment the imaginative side of the mind and dive into a futuristic world. Flying cars running on batteries or electricity seems possible now in reality. Such innovations can solve numerous issues about traffic, medical emergencies, and crimes. A cop can easily survey the neighborhood from above and look for any illegal activities. Road rage crimes and accidents will be minimal. All of such misdeeds can be averted due to one invention that is urban air mobility.

About the Author(s)

Princy A. J

Princy holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the prestigious Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. University at Chennai, India. After a successful academic record, she pursued her passion for writing. A thorough professional and enthusiastic writer, she enjoys writing on various categories and advancements in the global industries. She plays an instrumental role in writing about current updates, news, blogs, and trends.