Ready for takeoff: Air taxis could be real by the early 2020s. (picture alliance/Arne Immanuel Bänsch/dpa/archive)
The Bavarian-based startup Lilium wants to bring an electric air taxi onto the market in just a few years' time. The company's aim is to transport people in midair for the same price as with a traditional taxicab on the street. Air taxis could be ready for takeoff by the early 2020s, said Lilium co-founder Patrick Nathen at the Daho.am tech and developer conference in Munich Tuesday.
This depends on many factors however, including cities, which could cooperate on the project in the future, as well as approval permits and certifications, making concrete forecasts difficult, he added.
A two-seated aircraft has already been initially tested, while a five-seat model will now be in test runs this year.
The air taxi will not be flown autonomously at first, even though the appropriate system for this will be installed. "We are starting with pilots," said Nathen.
The aircraft, which optically resembles a flying saucer, should take off vertically with the help of three dozen propellors, be able to fly at speeds up to 300 kilometers per hour and be extremely quiet while underway. Lilium is based in Weßling outside of Munich and has roughly 150 employees.
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