Flying taxis grab airtime in New Zealand
WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Pilotless flying taxis are being tested in New Zealand as part of a project backed by Google co-founder Larry Page that supporters say will revolutionize personal transport.
New Zealand regulators late on Tuesday approved plans for Zephyr Airworks, a subsidiary of Page’s company Kitty Hawk, to develop and test the futuristic air taxis.
Known as Cora, the electric aircraft has a dozen small lift rotors on its wings, making it capable of vertical takeoff and landing like a helicopter.
But developers say it is much quieter, meaning it could transport passengers in urban areas using rooftops and car parks as landing pads.
“We are offering a pollution-free, emission-free vehicle that flies dependably, we think this is the logical next step in the evolution of transportation,” Zephyr Chief Executive Fred Reid said.
The Cora prototype being tested in New Zealand’s South Island uses three onboard computers to calculate its flight path and is capable of carrying two passengers.
The computers operate independently as a safety measure and the aircraft can deploy a parachute if anything goes wrong.
The aircraft, previously known as Zee.Aero, has a range of 100 kilometers, reaching speeds of 150 km/h and an altitude of up to 900 meters.
The Cora project envisages they will become so common that “air travel will be woven into our daily lives”.
Zephyr said using them would be a simple experience for passengers.
“You wouldn’t have to know anything about flying a plane. Cora could fly for you,” it said in a promotional video. “And it would be all-electric, helping to build a sustainable world.”
The aircraft will not be offered for sale, instead the public must book trips like they would with an airline or taxi service.
Zephyr said it would operate in a similar fashion to a car ride-share and is reportedly working on an app so customers can hail the air taxis on their mobile phones.
It said Cora took eight years to design but then developers needed a suitable environment to safely test the new technology.
Cora has been given an experimental airworthiness certificate from the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority.
Testing the service will reportedly take six years, with operations based around the city of Christchurch.