Page 44 - TT Mag Feb 2024 Digital Edition_New

EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES

and maintain the safety, efficiency Many aviation
and sustainability of these air traffic companies are ready
Cargo will play a operations. Importantly, technology to take off
large role in the rise will play a key role in assisting electric
Joby Aviation has signed an
of air taxis across the air taxis. These include: agreement with SkyPorts, a British
globe. Consumers • Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) company, to design, build and operate
are quick to order systems four vertiport sites across Dubai city.
online and expect • Autonomous Flight Systems These initial vertiports will be located
at Dubai International Airport,
swift deliveries. New • Airspace Integration Solutions Dubai Marina, Palm Jumeirah and
methods of cargo • Efficient Air Transportation Downtown Dubai. A Chinese-based
company known as Ehang has received
deliveries will have Systems an airworthiness certification for its
to keep up with this • Communications Technology autonomous passenger and cargo air
rising demand. Air (advanced communicative taxi - making it the first in the world to
technologies such as 6G with a
taxis will provide non-cellular structure) do so. The EH216-S eVTOL taxis can
carry two passengers or 600 pounds
a convenient and • Edge Computing of cargo. The taxis are controlled by
quick way to deliver • Digital Software Solutions a centralised command centre that
monitors various aspects such as
material and goods. routes, weather and the flight status.
• Battery Technology
For safety reasons, the taxis feature
• Generative AI backup batteries, communication
links, rotors, emergency landing
eVTOLs differ from helicopters • Radio frequency, satellite and
with their low cost, low noise, and cellular communications systems and parachutes in the event
of a malfunction.
low carbon impact features. The • Augmented and Virtual Reality
range of these vehicles are around When it comes to cargo, these air
150-250 kilometres and they can for training taxis will be used for delivering goods
reach speeds up to 300 kilometres - food, medical supplies and packages.
per hour. Manufacturers like Archer The Launch of Air Taxis A recent development in India
Aviation, Joby, Beta Technologies, Projects Worldwide
Volocopter, Lilium, Wisk Aero and suggests that the country could be
gearing up for the launch of air taxis
more are building and testing various Countries across the world are
eVTOLs and have flown them for launching air taxi projects. Israel in three of its most populated cities
thousands of hours, refining their established a government-led pilot - Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. A
California-based company Archer
designs and getting them ready for project in 2019, known as the
mass production. Israel Drone Initiative, with the aim Aviation has unveiled plans to
of transporting passengers and bring air taxis to India through a
The new aircrafts and systems in cargo to ease traffic congestion. partnership with InterGlobe and
this field are designed to be more The project has started conducting backer of Indigo. Archer - has recently
efficient and sustainable as they tests of autonomous drones that completed phase 1 of its flight test
are powered by electric charging campaign. The Midnight eVTOL
stations and can be autonomously/ are capable of ferrying cargo and is designed to accommodate four
remotely piloted. commuters in 2023. Eleven delivery passengers and the pilot on rapid,
and drone operating companies
The infrastructure required were involved in these test flights, back-to-back trips with 12 minutes
to manage electric air taxis which involved Electrical Vertical of charging time in between. The
will - in theory - facilitate the Takeoff and Landing in a managed design features six propellers that
smooth integration of air traffic urban airspace. aid in vertical flight and another half
management, communication dozen that rotate forward to help
networks and ground control The United States of America, the wings in cruise.
systems. Additionally, governments China, and the United Arab Emirates Cargo and Air Taxis:
and the aviation industries are are all gearing up to launch air
also working hard to develop new taxi services, setting up projects, India represents a unique
aerospace frameworks that will deadlines, teams and airspace opportunity for cargo, given that
foster best practices in the industry blueprints in place. the market is blooming. Various

44 TrafficInfraTech / February 2024 / www.trafficinfratech.com