Ten Years Ago We Thought Flying Taxis Were Just Around the Corner

Ten years ago, we all thought that by this time, we would be getting around by way of flying taxis. Okay, maybe that was just me, but today, we're a step closer to a realistic solution for urban air travel. This week, the Vahll Copter Air Taxi completed its first flight in an urban setting.

The Vahll Copter is an all-electric eight-eighteen rotor unmanned flying vehicle. If you're not familiar with this technology, it's an innovative transportation system that aims to revolutionize the way we get around cities. The company took to the skies in Germany, specifically in the city of Stuttgart, as part of the Vision Smart City event. The flight only lasted a few minutes, and the Vahll Copter didn't actually go anywhere. It just hovered above a football field near the Mercedes-Benz Museum.

However, what happened during this brief demonstration was significant. People watching from the ground got a sense of just how much noise these flying vehicles would make if they were flying around the city. The Vahll Copter is backed by Daimler, which owns Mercedes-Benz. This isn't the aircraft's first flight; we've seen plenty of demonstrations over the last couple of years. Just a few weeks ago, it became the first vehicle of its type to take off from an international airport in Helsinki.

The company wanted to show that its vehicle could be integrated into an airport's air traffic management system. This latest demonstration may be a bigger deal for you and I, as it aims to show that the Vahll Copter can safely move around densely populated urban areas. Again, it didn't really go anywhere during this demonstration, so the company still has a lot to prove.

However, the CEO of Vahll Copter feels that they're "really close" to bringing the technology to market. The company's plan is to build a network of transport hubs, called Valla Ports, on tall buildings in cities around the world. According to Vahll Copter, a single point-to-point connection could transport up to 10,000 people a day. The first Valla Port is planned for Singapore, where the company hopes to kick off test flights by the end of the year.

Not Just Vahll Copter: Other Companies Are Also Working On This Technology

Vahll Copter isn't the only dog in this race. Remember, this is Bell's Nexus concept that got all the attention at CES this year. Bell is one of several companies that have partnered with Uber to launch an on-demand air taxi service called Uber Elevate. We haven't heard much about the Nexus since CES, but Bell has said it wants to begin testing by 2023.

Then there's Google founder Larry Page's startup Kitty Hawk, which makes these personal flying vehicles. Kitty Hawk announced a partnership with Boeing a few months ago to develop Cora, a semi-autonomous flying taxi. There are many other companies working on this technology, and the number of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicles in development is now reported to be over 200.

The Road to Regulation: A Challenge Ahead

One thing that's clear with all the money and innovation being poured into this technology is that they're coming. But, as we're still a ways off from flying over gridlock to get to work on time, there's one significant challenge ahead: regulatory red tape. There's no clear answer yet on how the FAA plans to regulate air taxis and what will be legal.

The money being invested in this technology is a good sign that innovation is on its way. But, it's also important to acknowledge the challenges ahead. As we move forward with developing these new transportation systems, it's essential to address the regulatory hurdles that need to be overcome.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enten years ago we all thought that by this time we'd be getting around by way of flying taxis okay maybe that was just me but today we're a step closer to a realistic solution or urban air travel this week the vallah copter air taxi completed its first flight in an urban setting now if you're not familiar vallah copter is an all-electric eight-teen rotor unmanned flying vehicle this happened in Germany in the city of Stuttgart as part of the vision smart city event the flight only lasted a few minutes and the valla copter didn't actually go anywhere it just hovered above a football field near the mercedes-benz museum but the people watching did get a sense of just how much noise these things would make if they were flying around the city fala copters backed by Daimler which of course owns mercedes-benz now this wasn't the aircraft's first flight we've seen plenty of demonstrations over the last couple years just a few weeks ago it became the first vehicle of its type to take off from an International Airport that was in Helsinki though it's worth pointing out there was a pilot during that flight the company wanted to show that its vehicle could be integrated into an airport's air traffic management system but this latest demonstration may be a bigger deal for you and I the goal was to show that the balla copter can safely move around densely populated urban areas now again it didn't really go anywhere so vallah copter still has a lot to prove but the company CEO did say he feels that there quote really close to bringing the technology to market the company's plan is to build a network of transport hubs it calls valla ports on tall buildings in cities around the world vallah copter says a single point-to-point connection could transport up to 10,000 people a day the first ball of port is planned for Singapore where the company hopes to kick off test flights by the end of the year of course vallah copter isn't the only dog in this race remember this this is Bell's Nexus concept that got all the attention at CES this year Bell is one of several companies that have partnered with uber to launch an on-demand air taxi service called uber elevate we haven't heard much on the Nexus since CES but Bell has said it wants to begin testing by 2023 then of course there's Google founder Larry page's startup Kitty Hawk they make these personal flying vehicles Kitty Hawk announced a partnership with Boeing a few months ago to develop Cora a semi autonomous flying taxi and list goes on and on and on in fact the vertical flight society just reported that there are now 200 vertical takeoff and landing vehicles in development okay I've said this before we're still a ways off from flying over gridlock to get to work on time particularly because as of right now there's a lot of regulatory red tape to clear there's no clear answer as to how the FAA is going to regulate air taxis and what's going to be legal but one thing is clear with all the money and innovation that's being poured into this they are coming so what do you think which one of these companies will be the first to hit the market let us know in the comments and to learn more about the Bell Nexus click here that's gonna do it for this week I'm Andy Alton I'll see you in the futureten years ago we all thought that by this time we'd be getting around by way of flying taxis okay maybe that was just me but today we're a step closer to a realistic solution or urban air travel this week the vallah copter air taxi completed its first flight in an urban setting now if you're not familiar vallah copter is an all-electric eight-teen rotor unmanned flying vehicle this happened in Germany in the city of Stuttgart as part of the vision smart city event the flight only lasted a few minutes and the valla copter didn't actually go anywhere it just hovered above a football field near the mercedes-benz museum but the people watching did get a sense of just how much noise these things would make if they were flying around the city fala copters backed by Daimler which of course owns mercedes-benz now this wasn't the aircraft's first flight we've seen plenty of demonstrations over the last couple years just a few weeks ago it became the first vehicle of its type to take off from an International Airport that was in Helsinki though it's worth pointing out there was a pilot during that flight the company wanted to show that its vehicle could be integrated into an airport's air traffic management system but this latest demonstration may be a bigger deal for you and I the goal was to show that the balla copter can safely move around densely populated urban areas now again it didn't really go anywhere so vallah copter still has a lot to prove but the company CEO did say he feels that there quote really close to bringing the technology to market the company's plan is to build a network of transport hubs it calls valla ports on tall buildings in cities around the world vallah copter says a single point-to-point connection could transport up to 10,000 people a day the first ball of port is planned for Singapore where the company hopes to kick off test flights by the end of the year of course vallah copter isn't the only dog in this race remember this this is Bell's Nexus concept that got all the attention at CES this year Bell is one of several companies that have partnered with uber to launch an on-demand air taxi service called uber elevate we haven't heard much on the Nexus since CES but Bell has said it wants to begin testing by 2023 then of course there's Google founder Larry page's startup Kitty Hawk they make these personal flying vehicles Kitty Hawk announced a partnership with Boeing a few months ago to develop Cora a semi autonomous flying taxi and list goes on and on and on in fact the vertical flight society just reported that there are now 200 vertical takeoff and landing vehicles in development okay I've said this before we're still a ways off from flying over gridlock to get to work on time particularly because as of right now there's a lot of regulatory red tape to clear there's no clear answer as to how the FAA is going to regulate air taxis and what's going to be legal but one thing is clear with all the money and innovation that's being poured into this they are coming so what do you think which one of these companies will be the first to hit the market let us know in the comments and to learn more about the Bell Nexus click here that's gonna do it for this week I'm Andy Alton I'll see you in the future\n"