Flying cars have long captured the imagination of science fiction writers, and in recent years, a host of tech startups have been rushing to make the dream a reality. Following a long period of research and development, more bullish voices in the industry say the launch of air taxi services is imminent — but significant technical, regulatory and economic hurdles may yet stymie their take off.
U.S. companies Joby Aviation and Archer have both announced plans to launch air taxi services in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), later this year, which would mark a major milestone in the technology’s winding road to commercialization.
Despite the enduring appeal of this new form of urban mobility and efforts by aviation authorities to lay the regulatory groundwork, however, experts say they’re not yet ready for prime time. Concerns around safety, question marks about the financial viability of air taxi services, and the challenges involved in setting up the infrastructure and operational capacity to support a completely new transport network mean we could still be waiting at least a decade for an airborne alternative to Uber.
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