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<br /> A German start-up company is currently developing a ultra light personal <keyword id="2836188" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="electric-plane">electric plane</keyword>, the first of its kind, which can be powered from a wall socket, is eco-friendly, and can even take off and land vertically even from the back of your home.<br />
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The plane would be a two-seater one, would be entirely electric, and uses a ducted fan so that it can be simpler, quieter and safer than the conventional helicopters.<br />
 <br /> "Our goal is to develop an aircraft for use in everyday life. We are going for a plane that does not need the complex and expensive infrastructure of an airport," said <keyword id="3355208" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Daniel-Wiegand">Daniel Wiegand</keyword>, CEO of Lilum, the company hosted in a European Space Agency (ESA) business incubator.<br />
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"To reduce noise and pollution, we are using electric engines so it can also be used close to urban areas," Daniel added.<br />
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The plane, which will have a range of 500 kilometres, will be on sale by 2018.<br />
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Talking of the features, it sports a touch screen, fly-by-wire joystick controls, retractable landing gear, wing doors, large storage, panoramic windows and a battery that can be recharged from any wall plug.<br />
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"The half-size prototype is already flying and now under test. The full-size unmanned prototype is planned for this summer," said Thorsten Rudolph, CEO of AZO, which runs the incubator, one of many in ESA's Technology Transfer Programme throughout Europe.<br />
 <br />
"We are helping the Lilium team to turn their idea into a viable business. They are the aircraft experts, and we provide the expertise on how to make a business out of their dream," Rudolph said.<br />
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The retail cost of this plane would be far less than any other similar-sized aircraft, with much lower running costs, said the ESA.<br />
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<a href="http://lilium-aviation.com/"><em>Image source</em></a><br />

Coming soon: A personal plane that you can land in your garden

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The air taxi startup Lilium announced a deal with Spanish infrastructure company Ferrovial to build over 10 landing locations in Florida.</li><li>Most Florida residents will live within 30 minutes of one of the flying-taxi hubs.</li><li>The state's first commercial flight could be announced as soon as this spring.</li></ul><p>Florida will serve as a hub for one of the world's first jet-powered flying taxis- an all-electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing <keyword id="6385716" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="aircraft">aircraft</keyword>.</p><p>The five-year-old startup Lilium, based out of Munich, announced a deal on Wednesday with Spanish infrastructure company Ferrovial to build over 10 landing locations - called "vertiports" - in several major cities across Florida, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/flying-taxi-vertiport-orlando-lilium-airport-uber-flying-car-2020-11">including Orlando</a>.</p><p>Lilium's Chief Operating Officer, Dr. Remo Gerber, said most Florida residents will live within 30 minutes of one of the flying taxi hubs, as the company plans to spread the hubs throughout the state. </p><p>The state's first commercial flight could be announced as soon as this spring. Lilium plans to have flights up and running worldwide by 2025. The company's Chief Commercial Officer, Remo Gerber, told Insider in 2019 that Lilium plans to offer the service for as little as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lilium-70-air-taxi-rides-will-be-a-reality-by-2025-2019-5">$70 per flight</a>.</p><p><em><strong>Read more: </strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/venture-capital-vcs-electric-aviation-startups-2020-11?r=gk-sub">Meet the 8 electric aviation startups poised to blow past the jet age and modernize air travel and logistics, according to industry experts</a></em></p><p>The jet is emissions free and is designed to fit seamlessly into an urban environment. Lilium's press release says the aircraft is "as loud as a passing truck when taking off," and cannot be heard when flying over 400 meters above the ground.</p><p>"By saving time and enhancing connectivity, the service will drive significant economic growth for cities and increase access to industry, culture, and nature," the <a href="https://newsroom.ferrovial.com/en/press_releases/ferrovial-lilium-vertiport-agreement/">press release</a> says.</p><p>Current models of the jet seat five people. The <keyword id="6360326" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="electric">electric</keyword> jet is designed to require minimal maintenance and low costs once in full operation. </p><p>The jet looks different than any other aircraft, according to Lilium, as it operates with 36 single-stage electric motors and does not require the oil circuits and gearboxes of a typical jet. The company compares its model to a family car, as the product has the same number of individual parts. </p><p>The 36 electric jet engines allow the aircraft to move at considerable speed, as they tilt up for takeoff and forward for flight. The jet will operate faster than any of its competitors at about 186 miles per hour.</p><p><em><strong>See also: </strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/solar-power-electric-airplane-flight-charging-airports-beam-global-2020-11?r=gk-sub">Airports don't have the infrastructure to charge the coming wave of electric planes - and a solar power startup CEO says he has the solution</a></em></p><p>Ferrovian's Innovation Director Rafeal Fernandez said flying taxis represent the future of <keyword id="34991" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="transportation">transportation</keyword>.</p><p>"We partner with Lilium, one of the leading companies in this nascent urban air mobility ecosystem to deliver an innovative mode of transport that will shorten distances and improve the quality of life for citizens," Fernandez said in the press release.</p><p>The concept of flying taxis has taken off across the globe and could represent a trillion-dollar industry. A Morgan Stanley Research <a href="https://www.morganstanley.com/ideas/autonomous-aircraft">study</a> from 2020 found that the market for flying electric taxis could hit $1.5 trillion by 2040.</p><p>Lilium isn't the only company looking to create sustainable air traffic, over 100 different electric-jet programs are in development worldwide, including plans from companies like <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/toyota-invests-400-mln-in-joby-aviation-s-evtol-aircraft-project-1028828869">Toyota</a>, <a href="https://www.airbus.com/innovation/zero-emission/electric-flight.html">Airbus</a>, and <a href="https://www.seattlebusinessmag.com/business-operations/boeing-backed-company-planning-make-electric-airplanes">Boeing</a>. Hyundai and Uber have <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-hyundai-motor-team-up-to-develop-electric-air-taxi-2020-1">teamed up</a> to develop an electric air-taxi service as well.</p><p>Lilium has several big-time investors, including Tencent and Atomico. In the summer, the company <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lilium-spacex-raises-35-million-flying-taxis-2020-6">raised $35 million</a> from Baillie Gifford, a SpaceX backer. </p>

Florida will become home to 10 electric flying taxi hubs called 'vertiports'

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="88011" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="american-airlines">American Airlines</keyword> said it'd invest in <keyword id="6865774" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="vertical-aerospace">Vertical Aerospace</keyword> and agree to preorder its eVTOL <keyword id="6385716" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="aircraft">aircraft</keyword>.</li><li>Vertical Aerospace's VA-X4 is designed to fly up to four passengers distances of over 100 miles.</li><li>Experts expect more <keyword id="44023" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="airlines">airlines</keyword> to invest in eVTOL aircraft as firms develop them.</li></ul><p>American Airlines is making an investment in the future of aviation, <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/american-airlines-invests-future-urban-203000725.html">announcing</a> an agreement to preorder $1 billion worth of a new type of aircraft designed to fly over congested cities.</p><p>The airline, based in Fort Worth, Texas, said on Thursday that it also expected to invest $25 million in Vertical Aerospace, a UK firm developing electric vertical takeoff and land aircraft, or <keyword id="6861875" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="evtols">eVTOLs</keyword>, helicopter-like electric aircraft that aim to offer intracity <keyword id="34991" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="transportation">transportation</keyword> and an alternative to driving.</p><p>Vertical Aerospace's flagship VA-X4 aims to fly up to four passengers to distances exceeding 100 miles while achieving speeds of up to 200 mph. American could likely offer airport transportation to and from its largest hubs.</p><p>American said it agreed to preorder up to 250 of Vertical Aerospace's aircraft, worth $1 billion, with the option to order 100 more.</p><p>"It's a relatively low-risk, high-reward investment and strategy by American," Henry Harteveldt, a travel-industry analyst and cofounder of Atmosphere Research Group, told Insider.</p><p>"The airline is not betting its financial future in these aircraft with this investment right now," Harteveldt said, adding that American likely has strict requirements that Vertical Aerospace must meet before it hands over more cash for its aircraft.</p><div type="image" title="American Airlines Vertical Aerospace eVTOL" height="1308" width="1748" msid="83436868" hostid="261"></div><p>American said sustainability was also a focus of its order - the VA-X4 is designed to be a carbon-zero aircraft powered by batteries instead of jet fuel.</p><p>"Emerging technologies are critical in the race to reduce carbon emissions and we are excited to partner with Vertical to develop the next generation of electric aircraft," Derek Kerr, American's chief financial officer, said in a statement.</p><p>United Airlines this year <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/united-airlines-orders-1-billion-in-evtol-aircraft-from-archer-2021-2">announced a partnership with Archer Aviation</a>, another eVTOL startup that <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/archers-flying-taxi-makes-splashy-debut-heated-market-2021-06-11/">just unveiled its flagship Maker aircraft</a>. United and its regional airline partner Mesa Airlines are set to debut the aircraft in Los Angeles, offering flights to Los Angeles International Airport from so-called vertiports around the notoriously congested city.</p><p>"United and American genuinely recognize that the airline of the future will be tangibly different than the airline of today," Harteveldt said.</p><p><em><strong>Read more:</strong> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/archer-aviation-spac-public-valuation-founders-fly-passengers-for-united-2021-2">How 2 startup founders with no aviation experience landed a $1 billion deal to make electric aircraft for United</a></em></p><p>Harteveldt expects more airlines to invest in the eVTOL space, as Delta is the only holdout among the US's big three international airlines. And there's no shortage of eVTOL startups to invest in, with firms like Joby Aviation, Lilium, and Volocopter inching closer to the finish line on viable aircraft.</p><p>Vertical Aerospace has said the VA-X4 is on track for certification in 2024, and it could be flying American's passengers soon after.</p>

American Airlines could pay $1 billion for up to 250 eVTOLs to fly travelers over congested cities and highway traffic

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Second Home</span></p><p class="caption">Skype cofounder Niklas Zennström.</p></div><p></p></div></div>LONDON - Niklas Zennström, Skype's cofounder and former CEO, is backing a company building car-sized aircraft in Germany through his venture capital firm Atomico.</p><p>Lilium Aviation, a two-year-old Munich startup, received €10 million (£8.4 million) on Monday from Atomico and other investors to help it develop the personal electric planes that are capable of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL).</p><p>Founded by four entrepreneurs in 2014, Lilium envisages building a quiet, lightweight commuter aircraft that will be capable of flying between cities at a height of 3,000m. It is gearing up to test its first full-sized prototype early next year.</p><p>With an expected range of 300km and estimated top speed of up to 300km/h, the Lilium Jet is aiming to make inter-city travel, faster than any widely available mass transit system. San Francisco to Palo Alto would take less than 15 minutes, while Munich to Frankfurt would take just over an hour.</p><p>"This is a really good example of founders who are using deep technology to take on a very big problem," said Zennström, who has joined the board of the company, at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference. "The way we deal with transportation today is broken. There are congestions and to get from East London to West London takes forever. There is pollution in our cities with carbon dioxide so we get climate change.</p><p>"Of course you have electrical vehicles and autonomous vehicles to deal with some of those things but really to solve it in a big way we think you need to take to the skies."</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Lilium Aviation</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Atomico, which was set up in 2006 and has raised over $600 million (£472 million) to invest in startups, also backed Lilium in a smaller undisclosed round in June. Lilium said it intends to use the new money to expand its existing team of 35 aviation specialists and product engineers.</p><p>Other companies are also building personal planes but they're going about it in a different way. "Others are taking the concept of a drone and making it really big," said Zennström. "The problem with a drone is the propellers have to create lift all the time so it's going to use a lot of electricity. But Lilium, they're just using thrust to get it up and then it transitions to flight mode with the wings using much less energy. About the same as an electrical car. It's extremely energy efficient."</p><p>Lilium claims that its aircraft - powered by 36 directable electric fans, mounted along the wings and front pods - will be quieter than helicopters and other competitors, while also requiring less infrastructure.</p><p>Lilium CEO Daniel Wiegand said in a statement: "When we founded Lilium we had a single, simple goal - to design the best possible means of transportation for the 21st century. With our technology we can triple the radius of people's lives while preserving our environment, avoiding congestion and eliminating the cost of infrastructure. We can also flexibly connect whole states to single metropolitan areas.</p><p>"A personal vertical take-off and landing aircraft has been the dream of generations. It is the ultimate means of transportation. Together with Atomico we share the vision to make this dream come true for everybody, in the form of the VTOL Lilium Jet."</p>     <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/this-trucks-barrier-expands-out-back-for-quarter-mile-2016-12">This quarter-mile wall folds out of a truck in 60 seconds to protect soldiers</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="JxMWt5NzE6ilXs12CDm77BKVhtlJVxcd" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

The cofounder of Skype has backed a mini plane company with a €10 million round

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Aska, a startup founded in 2018, is working to bring a flying car to market. </li><li>The A5 will cost $789,000 and have a cruising speed of 150 mph, the firm says. </li></ul><p>Every now and then, when I'm stuck in particularly mind-numbing bumper-to-bumper traffic, I fantasize about being able to flip a switch, spark some jet engines, and blast off into the sky.</p><p>"See ya, suckers!" I'd yell down to the losers in their crappy, land-bound cars. But all they'd hear is the deafening roar of me beating them to the Taylor Swift concert.</p><div type="image" title="The rear wheels of Aska's prototype flying car. " height="2000" width="3000" msid="102956620" hostid="261" sizebytes="660140"></div><p>I'm not the only one. The idea of a car that can seamlessly transition into flight has obsessed humans for decades. Still, despite numerous attempts, they haven't taken off yet. One startup wants to change that with an ambitious plan to land <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/electric-flying-car-alef-aeronautics-test-flights-photos-faa-ev-2023-7">flying cars</a> in customers' driveways by 2026.</p><p>California-based <a target="_blank" href="https://www.askafly.com/">Aska</a> has been developing its first model, the A5, since 2018, and I recently got a ride in its first prototype. Will the A5 upend the way we all get around? It's impossible to say after a brief ride in an unrefined vehicle that's nowhere close to what future buyers may experience.</p><div type="image" title="The Aska A5 flying car prototype viewed from the frot.  " height="1511" width="3000" msid="102956621" hostid="261" sizebytes="479168"></div><p>Plus, we stuck to land, tootling around an airport tarmac for about 10 minutes at low speeds. (Aska just got the government's permission for test flights, and it's only done some hovering so far.)</p><p>But Guy Kaplinsky, Aska's cofounder and CEO, told Insider he aims to revolutionize the morning commute. Flying cars, he said, will offer people the luxury of living farther from their offices in pricey cities — without needing to spend half their waking hours traveling.</p><div type="image" title="The interior of the Aska A5 flying car. " height="2000" width="3000" msid="102956622" hostid="261" sizebytes="215852"></div><p>Powered by electric motors and a range-extending gas generator, the A5 will be able to zip through the air at 150 mph and cover 250 miles between fueling stops, Aska says. Its six propellers will allow it to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/see-inside-new-electric-aircraft-evtol-united-will-launch-2023-7">take off and land vertically</a>, like a giant drone, or horizontally like a conventional plane. The final version will seat four people, but the vehicle I rode in only had two seats.</p><div type="image" title="A view from the rear of the Aska flying car prototype. " height="2000" width="3000" msid="102956623" hostid="261" sizebytes="233984"></div><p>What about the driving part? That's what sets Aska apart from other buzzy upstarts working on electric aircraft. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/see-joby-evtol-fly-for-price-of-uber-2023-8">Joby</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/with-1-billion-deal-lilium-aims-to-dominate-regional-travel-2021-8">Lilium</a>, for example, envision city skies swarming with airborne taxis. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-battery-flying-car-doesnt-require-license-2022-7">Jetson</a> and Doroni have their sights set on personal flying machines. Most companies in the space aren't thinking about driving on land.</p><p>Before hitting the road, its wings collapse inward, in theory making it easier to maneuver around other cars. But, as you might expect from a vehicle that looks to be about 95% helicopter and 5% car, the A5 is most at home in the skies. Kaplinsky says it's designed to drive 10 miles or less, between a customer's home or workplace and an airstrip.</p><div type="image" title="The Aska A5 flying car prototype with its wings folded in. " height="2000" width="3000" msid="102956624" hostid="261" sizebytes="652826"></div><p>Still, Aska wants to make the A5 somewhat convenient on land. It's currently the size of a Ford F-350 pickup truck (very, very large), and Kaplinsky wants to shrink it down to the footprint of an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ford-ceo-electric-f-150-road-trip-charging-reality-check-2023-8">F-150</a> (just very large). At first, Aska is looking to get the A5 approved for local roads with slower speeds. That's where the prototype can drive, too.</p><p>Owning an A5 outright will cost $789,000 to start, but Kaplinsky also has grand plans for an accessibly priced car-sharing service.</p><div type="image" title="The nose of the Aska A5 flying car prototype. " height="2000" width="3000" msid="102956625" hostid="261" sizebytes="461880"></div><p>Although my time with the Aska gave me some hope for our science-fiction future, it also left me disheartened.</p><p>Kaplinsky told me that hopping over traffic in a flying car isn't realistic — with our current understanding of physics, anyway. As long as flight requires pushing massive amounts of air, taking off so close to other cars would be too dangerous. You'd need some kind of silent, UFO-like propulsion system to make it work, he said.</p><p>So, to anyone who's shared my boredom-induced daydreams behind the wheel: Keep dreaming.</p>

I rode in a $789,000 flying car and experienced the future of commuting. Maybe. 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The aviation industry emits hundreds of millions of tons of CO2 into the atmosphere every year.</li><li>The industry has committed to net-zero emissions by 2050 to better battle climate change.</li></ul><p>EVTOLs are <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-united-investing-billions-in-new-type-of-aircraft-evtols-2021-7">low or zero-emission urban air mobility aircraft</a> that are primarily marketed as short-haul air taxis. The vehicles are <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-premium-flying-taxi-cabin-ordered-by-american-airlines-vx4-2022-9">ideal for populated areas</a> with no runways or other infrastructure needed by commercial jets and can offer efficient, fast transport in cities that are typically congested with roadway traffic.</p><p>Manufacturing giants like Boeing and Airbus are developing new eVOTLs to revolutionize air travel, like <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boeing-invests-wisk-air-taxi-startup-autonomois-electric-aircraft-2022-1">Boeing-backed Wisk</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cityairbus-makes-first-public-flight-airbus-flying-taxi-evtol-2020-7">Airbus' all-electric, four-seater CityAirbus NextGen</a>.</p><p>While low-emission <a href="https://www.rolls-royce.com/media/press-releases/2022/21-03-2022-poweroftrent-rr-sustainable-aviation-fuel-agreement-with-air-bp-for-engine-tests.aspx">sustainable aviation fuel</a> is one promising solution for the global airline industry to lower its carbon emissions and reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 as <a href="https://www.icao.int/newsroom/pages/icao-council-adopts-new-co2-emissions-standard-for-aircraft.aspx">mandated by the International Civil Aviation Organization,</a> manufacturers and airlines will need to invest in additional technologies to meet the 2050 goal, with many turning to electric aircraft like eVTOLs.</p><p>The future of the new type of aircraft is promising, but even the soonest projections put it years away from entering service. Experts also note that there are still difficulties that have not been solved yet, like the lack of current infrastructure to support the new vehicles as well as the lack of any federal regulatory standards.</p><p>Additionally, it's impossible to be sure how the flying public will take to the new kind of aircraft once they can book trips on it.</p><p>Despite the potential hurdles, several airlines worldwide have taken interest in eVTOLs and electric planes, with the notable exception of Delta Air Lines, which is the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/delta-only-major-us-carrier-not-order-supersonic-or-evtol-2022-8">only major US carrier that has not yet made a commitment.</a></p><p>Here's a look at the airlines that have invested in electric planes and eVTOLs with the hope they will one day provide an efficient, eco-friendly mode of transportation.</p><h2>Vertical Aerospace's VX4</h2><div type="image" title="The Vx4 is being developed by the UK firm Vertical Aerospace." height="1500" width="2000" msid="94103769" hostid="261" sizebytes="159324"></div><p>Vertical Aerospace's VX4 aircraft has received interest from airlines in every corner of the world, having <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220808005081/en/Vertical-Aerospace-Announces-First-Half-Year-2022-Results">amassed over 1,400 pre-orders for the VX4</a> as of June 30. The company hopes the aircraft will be certified by 2025 and flying soon after that.</p><p>Airline investors include American, Virgin Atlantic, Spanish charter airline Iberojet, Japan Airlines, Brazil-based GOL, Air Greenland, and AirAsia, <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220718005818/en/Electric-Flight-Moves-a-Step-Closer-as-Vertical-Aerospace-and-CAE-Partner-on-Pilot-Training">according to the company</a>. The latter three are via placements made by aircraft leasing company Avolon, which has ordered over 500 VX4s. </p><h2>Embraer's Eve</h2><div type="image" title="How the full vehicle could look." height="1200" width="1600" msid="94103771" hostid="261" sizebytes="74182"></div><p>Eve is Embraer's eVTOL four-seater product that has a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-flying-taxi-with-most-orders-fly-by-2026-embraer-2022-7">backlog of over 1,900 aircraft.</a></p><p>The manufacturer has partnered with several carriers worldwide to promote urban air mobility, like Florida's <a href="https://eveairmobility.com/eve-and-global-crossing-airlines-sign-letter-of-intent-for-up-to-200-evtol-aircraft-and-enable-future-collaboration-for-uam/">Global Crossing Airlines</a>, Australia's <a href="https://eveairmobility.com/eve-and-sydney-seaplanes-announce-partnership-to-bring-uam-services-to-sydney-with-an-initial-order-of-50-evtols/">Sydney Seaplanes</a>, Dubai's <a href="https://eveairmobility.com/eve-and-falcon-aviation-services-announce-partnership-to-introduce-evtol-flights-in-dubai/">Falcon Aviation Services</a>, Kenya Airways' subsidiary <a href="https://eveairmobility.com/eve-and-kenya-airways-fahari-aviation-sign-an-agreement-to-scale-urban-air-mobility-with-an-order-of-up-to-40-evtols-to-fly-people-and-cargo/">Fahari Aviation</a>, Western Australia-based <a href="https://eveairmobility.com/eve-aviair-and-helispirit-announce-partnership-with-an-order-of-up-to-50-evtols/">Aviair</a>, US regional airlines <a href="https://eveairmobility.com/eve-and-republic-airways-announce-partnership-to-develop-regional-operator-network-of-the-future-with-an-order-for-up-to-200-evtol-aircraft/">Republic Airways</a> and <a href="https://eveairmobility.com/eve-and-skywest-announce-partnership-to-develop-regional-operator-network-with-an-order-for-100-evtol-aircraft/">SkyWest Airlines</a>, Singapore-based startup <a href="https://eveairmobility.com/embraers-eve-and-ascent-further-partnership-with-a-commitment-to-bring-uam-operations-to-the-asia-pacific-region/">Ascent</a>, and helicopter operators <a href="https://eveairmobility.com/eve-announces-halo-as-launch-partner-in-the-urban-air-mobility-market-with-an-order-for-200-evtol-aircraft/">Halo</a> and <a href="https://eveairmobility.com/eve-and-helisul-announce-partnership-to-develop-uam-products-and-services-in-brazil-with-an-initial-order-of-up-to-50-evtols/">Helisul Aviation</a>.</p><p>United is the most recent carrier to announce an investment in Eve. On Thursday, the <a href="https://www.united.com/en/us/newsroom/announcements/cision-125237">carrier put down $15 million</a> for a <a href="https://www.united.com/en/us/newsroom/announcements/cision-125237">conditional order</a> for 200 eVTOLS, with an option for 200 more. Eve hopes its eVTOL will be flying passengers as soon as 2026.</p><h2>Airbus' CityAirbus NextGen</h2><div type="image" title="CityAirbus NextGen" height="818" width="1091" msid="94103773" hostid="261" sizebytes="17540"></div><p>Airbus hopes to shake up the flying taxi market with its eVTOL product, CityAirbus NextGen. The four-seater vehicle can fly up to 60 miles, making it a viable candidate for intra-city flying. NextGen <a href="https://www.airbus.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2021-09-airbus-reveals-the-next-generation-of-cityairbus">builds upon Airbus' original CityAirbus</a> with a new design that includes fixed wings and a V-shaped tail.</p><p>With the announcement of the modified eVTOL, the company <a href="https://www.airbus.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2021-09-airbus-reveals-the-next-generation-of-cityairbus">said</a> it plans to conduct test flights in 2023 and get the flying taxi certified by 2025.</p><p>The <a href="https://www.airbus.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2022-04-airbus-and-ita-airways-partner-to-develop-urban-air-mobility-in">planemaker has partnered with Italy's ITA Airways </a>to "explore the creation of tailored UAM services, by identifying strategic use cases for emission-free mobility solutions."</p><h2>Joby Aviation's eVTOL</h2><div type="image" title="The Joby flying vehicle in flight, with clouds and the sunset behind it." height="3648" width="4864" msid="94103775" hostid="261" sizebytes="111798"></div><p>Joby Aviation took over Uber Elevate — the company's air taxi arm — in 2020. The manufacturer has since partnered with Toyota to create a five-seater eVTOL, and Tokyo-based All Nippon Airways to <a href="https://ir.jobyaviation.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/28/ana-holdings-and-joby-partner-to-bring-air-taxi-service-to">bring the electric vehicle to Japan</a>. </p><p>Like many of its competitors, the manufacturer hopes to get its air taxi flying as soon as 2024.</p><h2>Heart Aerospace's ES-19</h2><div type="image" title="United Airlines and Heart Aerospace partner to develop an electric aircraft." height="664" width="886" msid="94103777" hostid="261" sizebytes="21480"></div><p>While not an eVTOL, Heart Aerospace is marketing a 19-seater electric plane, <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/electric-aircraft-set-to-take-flight-by-2026-under-new-agreements-with-united-airlines-ventures-breakthrough-energy-ventures-mesa-airlines-heart-aerospace-1030600846">dubbed the ES-19</a>. United has <a href="https://heartaerospace.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Heart-Aerospace-Series-A-Press-Release-July-13-2021.pdf">ordered</a> 100 of the type once the aircraft meets the airline's "safety, business and operating requirements." The carrier's regional partner Mesa Airlines has also ordered 100 ES-19s, and New Zealand-based Sounds Air <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=2018808724">plans to have "at least three"</a> ES-19s in its fleet by 2026.</p><p>Meanwhile, Finland flag carrier <a href="https://www.finnair.com/us-en/bluewings/sustainability/finnair-strengthens-collaboration-with-pioneering-electric-aviation-startup-heart-aerospace--2253482">Finnair</a>, Swedish airline BRA, Norway's Wideroe, Air Greenland, Quebec-based Pascan, California's Quantum Air, UK startup CityClipper, and Scandinavian Airlines have all signed letters of intent for the aircraft, <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2020-09-23/heart-unveils-electric-propulsion-system-es-19-airliner">according to the company</a>.</p><h2>Archer Aviation's "Midnight" Air Taxi</h2><div type="image" title="Archer Aviation Midnight." height="749" width="998" msid="94103779" hostid="261" sizebytes="12324"></div><p>In mid-August, United announced its $10 million deposit for 100 of Archer Aviation's "Midnight" eVTOLs. Midnight will not be unveiled until later this year, a company spokesperson told Insider, but it has a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/united-airlines-electric-flying-taxis-archer-aviation-maker-midnight-photos-2022-8#a-spokesperson-for-archer-told-insider-the-firm-wont-be-unveiling-the-midnight-until-later-this-year-however-they-said-some-of-the-design-principles-will-be-the-same-as-maker-which-it-has-been-flight-testing-since-december-2021-5">prototype</a> of its smaller "Maker" eVTOL that has been undergoing flight testing since December 2021.</p><p>United hopes to get "Midnight" in service by 2024.</p><h2>Rolls-Royce's P-Volt</h2><div type="image" title="51025071088_437ea45d71_o" height="1178" width="1571" msid="94103781" hostid="261" sizebytes="100404"></div><p>In March 2021, Rolls-Royce <a href="https://www.rolls-royce.com/media/press-releases/2021/11-03-2021-rr-and-tecnam-join-forces.aspx">announced</a> a partnership with airframer Tecnam and Norwegian regional airline Widerøe to develop the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rolls-royce-widere-tecnam-building-all-electric-aircraft-for-2026-2021-3">P-Volt electric aircraft</a>. The zero-emission plane is expected to enter service in 2026.</p><h2>Lilium's eVTOL Jet</h2><div type="image" title="Lilium Jet." height="706" width="942" msid="94103784" hostid="261" sizebytes="45794"></div><p>German aircraft manufacturer <a href="https://lilium.com/newsroom-detail/capital-markets-day-planned-1-billion-commercial-deal-with-brazilian-airline-azul-appointment-of-new-board-members">Lilium has partnered with Brazilian airline Azul</a> to create a "co-branded network in Brazil" using the seven-seater Lilium Jet. Lilium plans to sell 220 eVTOLs to Azul, which would operate and maintain the fleet.</p><p>The deal is worth $1 billion, with flights expected to start in 2025, though the aircraft should be ready for use by 2024.</p>

Airlines like United and American are betting on electric air taxis that could change the way we get around and between cities — here's the 8 companies they're partnering with

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A Trump-appointed federal judge opted to end the <keyword id="11906064" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mask-mandate" source="Orion">mask mandate</keyword> on public transit Monday.</li><li>Many passengers were mid-flight when the decision was announced and shared mixed reactions online.</li></ul><p>The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's <keyword id="6438835" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mask" source="Orion">mask</keyword> mandate on planes and trains came to an abrupt end on Monday following an order from a Trump-appointed federal judge. </p><p>Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle's <a href="https://ecf.flmd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show_public_doc?2021-01693-53-8-cv" target="_blank" rel="noopener">decision</a> was enacted by <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/these-are-the-airlines-dropping-mask-mandates-after-judges-ruling-2022-4">multiple domestic airlines</a> while passengers were in mid-flight or in airports, causing a mixed reaction among travelers.</p><p>Scott Hechinger, civil rights attorney, had yet to board when he heard the announcement.</p><p>"I just think it's outrageous that a single judge in a single court can overrule the CDC and make health policy for the entire country," Hechinger told Insider via email.</p><p>"Even more outrageous that it's happening at a time when a new variant is raging and so many — including friends and colleagues, and their young children—are extremely sick. I don't feel safe," he added. </p><p>The TSA <a href="https://www.tsa.gov/news/press/releases/2021/01/31/tsa-implement-executive-order-regarding-face-masks-airport-security">implemented</a> the mask mandate in February 2021, when the CDC was reporting an average of more than <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/covidview/past-reports/02122021.html">3,000 deaths per day</a> from <keyword id="11893994" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19" source="Orion">COVID-19</keyword>. The current 7-day average is <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/covidview/index.html">409 deaths</a>. </p><p>Hechinger <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottHech/status/1516212717161435138?s=20&amp;t=1qxRJDWTjwsSmLTNgLtqGQ">tweeted</a> about the mandate being lifted from the JetBlue departure area, saying most people removed their <keyword id="11917128" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="masks" source="Orion">masks</keyword> and that there was "a loud, sustained cheer."</p><p>Conversely, Rhode Island reporter Alexandra Leslie tweeted from the air, adding there wasn't "big applause or graduation hat throwing moves."</p><p>She said "some people have taken them off, others have left on. We all kind of looked around wondering what everyone else was doing."</p><p>Another communications professional discussed the moment online as well.</p><p>"On a flight right now from DTW to AMS, and the pilot just got on the intercom and said 'I have some good <keyword id="11893589" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="news" source="Orion">news</keyword> for you. The Biden administration has to remove the mask mandate, so we can't force you to wear them,'" Ray Wert, interim head of communications at Lilium, an aerospace company, <a href="https://twitter.com/raywert/status/1516201541975396359?s=20&amp;t=GPhWL_6dlPmGeHMMYBgsHQ">tweeted Monday</a>.</p><p>"'…If you want to keep wearing them, do so, but otherwise, hopefully it'll make your flight more comfortable,'" Wert added, quoting the pilot on the intercom.</p>

Airline passengers are finding out about the end of mask mandates mid-flight

<ul class="summary-list"><li>For an industry based entirely on the arrival of a new kind of aircraft, many technological and logistical hurdles must be cleared.</li><li>Those include battery tech, business plans, and the role drones must play before flying cars can take off.</li><li>The good news is that heaps of startups are working on these problems — and we've rounded up the best contenders to deliver the future of flight.</li></ul><p>Though <a href="http://images.markets.businessinsider.com/6-hot-startups-that-can-make-flying-cars-actually-happen-2020-11">investment opportunities</a> abound in the world of aerial mobility - for those patient enough to play the long game - staying abreast of the key technological challenges still standing in the way of viable, widespread electric air taxi service is important. It helps to temper expectations and filter out the hype.</p><p>This is especially true because the industry is having a bit of an early reckoning, with instigator and cheerleader Uber <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/joby-aviation-to-acquire-uber-elevate-wins-75-million-investment-2020-12">offloading the Elevate program</a> that helped spawn the movement back in 2016. Whether you think this is merely the first domino to fall in an effort that's already incomprehensibly ambitious, or merely an inevitable hiccup - likely one of many - the move reinforces the lesson that nothing in <keyword id="31907" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Aviation">aviation</keyword> is a foregone conclusion. Supporters may waver, companies may fail, and necessary innovations may not materialize.</p><p>For an industry based entirely on the arrival of a new kind of aircraft, using new propulsion technologies and powered by the same <keyword id="45741" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="batteries">batteries</keyword> that have so far required massive innovation just to push a car 200 miles, many challenges remain-and yes, batteries are a big part of it. </p><p>"The low energy density of batteries continues to force eVTOL makers to make significant design tradeoffs, resulting in performance that can only marginally meet customer mission requirements," warns Ben Marcus, co-founder of venture-capital firm <a href="https://www.up.partners/">UP.Partners</a>, which formed this year to invest in the necessary building blocks of the flying car business.</p><ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/zeroavia-founder-reveals-challenges-advice-aviation-startups-2020-12'">ZeroAvia's founder reveals how he got $21 million to build a plane that won't go to market for a decade</a></li></ul><p>"The industry must also develop autonomy systems that significantly improve the safety of vertical-lift aircraft relative to human-piloted helicopters before they will make a significant difference in the daily commutes of millions of people."</p><p>Furthermore, the new technologies will have to be certifiable to safety standards that are much higher than for terrestrial transport systems - mostly given the fact that if something fails on the ground, the solution is often as simple as pulling over and stopping, something not easily done in aircraft. They must be practical for commercial applications, with adequate passenger space and flight range, and appealing to potential passengers. The flight experience needs to be comfortable and secure, or nobody will want to fly in the new aircraft.</p><p>Fortunately, Marcus adds, there are a lot of cooks in the kitchen - commercial R&amp;D labs, government agencies, university engineering departments - and plenty of beneficiaries beyond commuters looking to coast over gridlock. The same technologies that will lift those folks will also deliver pizzas, execute search-and-rescue missions, inspect power lines, shuttle emergency supplies, and more.</p><h2><strong>Drones need to light the way</strong></h2><p>The technological pipelines for all this needed innovation are already very active, with pilot projects and commercial deployment of drone-based systems, which use a lot of similar technologies to those needed for passenger-carrying aircraft, being initiated around the globe. </p><p>Marcus cites Zipline and Matternet as companies already delivering medical supplies in many parts of the world, while UPS, Amazon, Google Wing, and others are <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/drone-delivery-services-are-actually-finally-almost-here/">working with the FAA to establish drone delivery systems</a> in the U.S. These companies will operate in clearly defined geographic areas and under strict rules for how high and in what conditions their aircraft can fly.</p><ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/zipline-drone-coronavirus-supplies-africa-rwanda-ghana-2020-5">How Zipline engineered drones to deliver vital COVID-19 medical supplies to rural Ghana and Rwanda in minutes</a></li></ul><p>Once the early delivery systems prove they can successfully complete their missions, they'll need to graduate to wider geographic areas and be able to operate in the presence of other aircraft, whether human-piloted or autonomous. Marcus' own initiative, AirMap, a drone-management software company, is working to help devise a system that will be needed to define paths through communities, factoring in winds and weather at low altitudes, electronic noise that might interfere with navigation or communications to local air traffic networks, and risk areas, such as those with dense pedestrian traffic.</p><p>The idea is that eventually the drones will be able to function with full awareness of other aircraft in the area, map out their own routes to their destinations while avoiding conflicts, and generally be able to keep themselves out of trouble. These are the same capabilities - collectively known as autonomy - that will be required of larger electric aircraft capable of carrying actual passengers.</p><h2><strong>Autonomy in reach</strong></h2><p>That ultimate goal, fully autonomous flight, is being tackled by companies such as Reliable Robotics, Merlin Labs, X-Wing, Near Earth Autonomy, Daedalean, Skydio, and others. Skydio founder Adam Bry is consciously taking a walk-then-run approach to artificial intelligence-based systems controlling aviation. </p><p>This begins with consumer drones that can safely and reliably follow people and vehicles <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKlpCG367AE&amp;feature=youtu.beu.be">while avoiding obstacles</a>, followed by industrial and commercial applications. Skydio just signed the largest-ever commercial drone contract, for 5,000 Skydio 2 drones to be used in <a href="https://www.eagleview.com/newsroom/2020/09/eagleview-skydio-partnership-revolutionizing-virtual-property-inspections/">residential roof inspections</a>. It will then move to drones that can operate independently in public airspace, and then, ultimately, those passenger-carrying aircraft. "That's the big flywheel that we're trying to spin up," Bry says. "Over time, as the core algorithms get better based on the validation of the data, I think we get more and more confident in scaling them up to bigger and bigger and higher-consequence vehicles and systems."</p><div type="image" title="Skydio" height="1582" width="3000" msid="79979189" hostid="261"></div><p>Bry says that while the air taxi future will take a long time to come to fruition, due to the multitude of new technologies that need to converge, there are many paths for innovation that can be exploited to develop the capabilities safely. For instance, he notes that simply keeping autonomous drones low to the ground and within 50 feet of structures will keep out of the way of other aircraft, while enabling the devices to be widely deployed. "That's where we're going to see the most progress in the short term," he says. "There's so much value in terms of data collection that you can get by flying 30 to 50 feet from the ground."</p><h2><strong>Building the business</strong></h2><p>Until that evolution gains significant traction, human-occupied systems, like drones, will also be constrained to very specific corridors and flight conditions. But even there, the technology is advancing surprisingly quickly. EHang, based in China, has been working to launch an air taxi pilot program for Dubai. German startup Volocopter has been doing the same in Singapore. Munich-based Lilium just announced plans for an air taxi service that will launch in 2025 near Orlando. The latter will shuttle passengers between Lake Nona and destinations within the anticipated 186-mile range of its aircraft, the Lilium Jet. </p><div type="image" title="Lilium Air Taxi test flight" height="1752" width="3004" msid="79979193" hostid="261"></div><p>Lilium COO Remo Gerber says such a system, which would be privately funded though potentially with backing from the city of Orlando, could test solutions for multiple technological challenges at once-the logistics of reserving and booking flights, the infrastructure required for its $25 million "vertiport," the specific capabilities of the aircraft itself, and the whole development process itself. </p><p>Yet he is optimistic that a minimal ground presence will mean greater economic viability. "If we were to ever think about putting a high-speed ground transportation system anywhere in the world, you wouldn't even get through the permitting stage alone in four years," he says. "But we believe we could have a very large, significant network up and running across the whole state of Florida-while giving people a beautiful view, too."</p><h2><strong>Batteries are the linchpin</strong></h2><p>It's possible, however, that absolutely none of this will happen-at real scale, anyway-without a significant breakthrough in power technology.  While early system battery-electric air taxi systems will likely be able to get away with short-range aircraft that will need to be charged before every flight, eventually the aircraft will need to be able to deliver on the 180-plus mile ranges and the hyper-fast recharging that have been promised but not yet validated. Companies leading the charge here, so to speak, include Cuberg, MagniX, Ampaire, and Verdego Aero. </p><div type="image" title="Alaka'i Technologies unveils a model of a working prototype of Skai, a hydrogen fuel cell powered multi-rotor aircraft the company designed to carry up to five passengers, during an event in Newbury Park, California, U.S., May 29, 2019.  REUTERS/Andrew Cullen" height="2752" width="4128" msid="79979196" hostid="261"></div><p>However, just because air taxis will be electric, that doesn't mean they necessarily have to be powered by batteries. Alaka'I Technologies and ZeroAvia are both developing hydrogen-powered propulsion systems for electric aircraft. Alaka'I was selected for a series of flight tests and assessments in NASA's Advanced Air Mobility National Campaign, and ZeroAvia executed its first flight test, in September, of a conventional six-seat aircraft converted to its hydrogen-based electric system. </p><p>According to Marcus, <keyword id="169046" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="hydrogen">hydrogen</keyword> power just might find a home in aviation much more readily than it has in automotive applications. If so, it could prove to be a significant piece to the air taxi technology puzzle-but one of many pieces nonetheless.</p><ul class="read-more-links"><li style="list-style-type: none;"><ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more:</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/electric-planes-future-of-aviation-problems-regulations-2020-3">Why electric planes haven't taken off yet</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/electric-planes-are-ready-to-disrupt-the-airline-industry-2020-3">The electric-plane revolution is finally here, and it promises to shake up the $840 billion airline industry</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/venture-capital-vcs-electric-aviation-startups-2020-11">8 electric aviation startups poised to blow past the jet age and modernize air travel and logistics</a></li></ul></li></ul>

The 4 biggest hurdles blocking the arrival of flying cars - and the top startups with the best shot of blowing past them

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Lilium</span></p><p class="caption">Lilium's concept for flying taxis.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li>Lilium, the German flying taxi startup, completed the first maiden flight for its prototype vertical take-off and landing electric jet.</li><li>Lilium has raised $100 million, last year applied for regulatory approval in Europe and the US, and hired its first CFO.</li><li>Flying taxis sound crazy, but chief commercial officer Remo Gerber says they might make more economic sense than ride-hailing firms like Uber.</li><li>Gerber thinks Lilium could offer $70 air taxi rides in Europe by 2025, but first it needs to solve issues around infrastructure and proving its aircraft are safe for humans.</li><li><strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.</a></strong></li></ul><p>The next big <keyword id="34991" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="transportation">transportation</keyword> wave after on-demand taxis, scooters, and shared bikes might be the flying car.</p><p>German startup Lilium is among a crop of startups working on flying taxis - electric, on-demand aircraft that transport you around or between cities for the price of a long taxi ride.</p><p>If Remo Gerber, chief commercial officer of Lilium, has his way, you could be paying $70 for a space in a five-seater jet-powered electric aircraft to fly between London and Manchester by 2025.</p><p><em><strong>Read more: </strong></em><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lillium-jet-may-be-the-future-of-urban-transportation-2018-2?r=US&amp;IR=T"><em>This electric jet can take off vertically and travel almost 190 miles per hour - and it's already being prototyped</em></a></p><p>"We're planning to sell you the tickets for your ride," Gerber told Business Insider. "You download the app, you book it ten minutes in advance if you're nearby, or perhaps for the next day... it'll be a very user-friendly experience. Our full intention is to be a full operator, rather than selling the aircraft to private individuals."</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Lilium</span></p><p class="caption">Lilium's concept for landing and take-off stations.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Elements of the model might sound familiar, even if the idea of a flying taxi still sounds insane. Gerber is a former executive at Gett, Israel's rival to Uber. He and others in this space are essentially working to recreate the on-demand model for taxis, but with electric aircraft. Lilium and its competitors still face significant technical and regulatory hurdles - more on that later.</p><h2>How do you make money from expensive, flying taxis?</h2><p>Uber's business model is undergoing a brutal test in the public markets. That business model, sceptics say, has been largely driven by Uber undercutting the established taxi market by offering cheap cab rides subsidised by the huge amounts of capital it raised.</p><p>And like Uber, Lilium is venture-backed. It has raised from China's Tencent, Skype founder Niklas Zennstrom's Atomico, and Obvious Ventures, the venture capital backer set up by Twitter cofounder Ev Williams. The company has raised $101 million to date. Will Lilium replicate Uber's model to achieve air taxi dominance?</p><p>Gerber says no. "Some of the ride-hailing plays ultimately subsidised rides in order to gain dominant positions, but we will [have] a positive revenue markup," he said. "It will not just be a negative type of business model. It will be completely different, but still entirely affordable."</p><p>Gerber argues that Lilium, once operational, will work quite differently to Uber. You will be able to order an air taxi via app but, unlike an UberX, that air taxi won't come to you. You'll have to congregate with your fellow passengers at a dedicated station. It's a smaller scale model of how aeroplanes work and, the company claims, safer than more efficient than doing the equivalent journey in a helicopter.</p><p>"You don't think about it as the sharing economy when you get into the plane and go on holiday," Gerber said. "It'll be very comfortable, but people will still be sharing. And that's what will make it affordable, compared to the fully individualised experience of riding in a taxi. And also it'll be fully electric."</p><p>If Lilium fills its five-seater aircraft with passengers paying $70 each, it nets $350 for a single ride. Much more than the average cab fare.</p><p>Another difference is that Lilium will need to hire trained pilots - pricier than cab drivers - and it plans to manufacture and maintain its own fleet of aircraft. It also has to make sure that aircraft can take off and land vertically, that it can really run on jet power and batteries, reduce noise, and create the infrastructure in cities for these vehicles to take off, land, and charge. That seems like a lot of additional expense.</p><p>"Don't forget that aircraft have a longer lifetime," Gerber said. A <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travel-truths/oldest-passenger-plane-still-in-service/">jet can remain in service for around 25 years</a>, experts say. "They don't degrade as quickly, so the aircraft will last much longer." <span style="font-weight: 400;"></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span>He added that the firm will work on autonomous technology for the long-term, potentially reducing the need for lots of human pilots for its aircraft.</p><h2>Lilium's maiden flight was a success</h2><p>The economics of flying taxis remain academic until Lilium can prove it can fly its aircraft safely with human passengers and a pilot, receives approval from the US and European aviation authorities, and makes headway on the infrastructure required to make electric aircraft work.</p><p>The firm filed for regulatory approval on both continents in 2018. Gerber won't say much on progress except to say "we are in the process."</p><p>He and others at Lilium envisage take-off and landing pads being introduced at existing urban transport hubs like railway stations, and thinks it's better to create an open ecosystem that works for multiple flying taxi companies. It feels like a long way off but, Gerber says, cities are proactively approving Lilium because they see it as an environmentally friendly alternative to building roads or railway lines.</p><p>Lilium is celebrating one tangible milestone: it got its first five-seater prototype aircraft off the ground for the first time at its headquarters at a private airport near Munich.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Lilium</span></p><p class="caption">The Lilium Jet.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>The prototype, called the Lilium Jet, comprises a central, oval-shaped body designed to hold five passengers. There are two front wings, and two rear wings, with 12 flaps. These flaps carry a total of 36 electric jet engines, and variously tilt from a vertical to horizontal position depending on whether the craft is taking off or airborne. Off-the-shelf batteries sit in the body, beneath the main cabin.</p><p>This maiden flight on May 4 involved a simple vertical take-off, hover, and land, a spokesman told Business Insider. It lasted around one minute, with the aircraft and its systems performing "exactly as expected." Lilium has done further test flights and eventually hopes to show it can travel a distance and speed of 300km (190 miles) in an hour.</p><p>This is a little different from rivals like Uber, which plan to offer aircraft to fly shorter distances of around 60 miles on a single charge. Lilium envisages being able to fly people from London to Manchester, something it says is achievable because of its jet engine setup.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Uber</span></p><p class="caption">A concept for an Uber flying taxi. The ride-hailing giant is working with four different manufacturers on its flying taxi prototypes.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>A spokesman told Business Insider: "This prototype is our first full-weight, full-size prototype. It brings together a wide range of sophisticated technology and is much more mature, and complex, than our previous prototypes. It's in a form that is ready for certification meaning it has all the safety systems, redundancies, and high-specification parts required for eventual passenger flight, except of course a cabin.</p><p>"So while our previous prototype proved the concept of transition flight, we're taking it to a whole new level here, with a much more mature product."</p><p>It's an impressive achievement, given Lilium raised a fraction of the funding of competitors such as Uber. Boeing, one of the partners building electric aircraft for Uber, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/23/boeing-takes-step-in-developing-uber-air--with-successful-test-flight.html">likewise achieved its first successful test flight</a> in January.</p><p>Progression against that kind of competition is expensive and it is almost certain that Lilium will need to raise new funds. The firm hired its first CFO, Christopher Delbrück, in November.</p><p>Gerber won't share any news on a future raise, but said: "Of course we will always look at making sure the firm is sufficiently capitalised. And we're recognised by the investor community in terms of unique technology the company is producing. Morgan Stanley put the 2040 market size at $1.5 trillion. People recognise the potential, it's almost like the first car."<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/smart-glasses-review-focals-north-alexa-2019-4">I tried $600 smart glasses and learned why they haven't replaced smartphones yet</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

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