Researchers are investigating technical alternatives to conventional aircraft, such as solar-powered airships equipped with super-efficient solar cells and lightweight batteries. Professor Christoph Pflaum and Professor Agnes Jocher, along with student Tim Riffelmacher from the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and the Technical University of Munich (TUM), have published a paper in the International Journal of Sustainable Energy outlining the route a solar airship would take to fly from London to New York in the most time-efficient and eco-friendly manner.
Continue reading… “Clear Skies Ahead: The Solar-Powered Airship Solution to Air Travel’s Carbon Footprint”Airbus’ new eVTOL that aims to usher in an era of flying taxis just took its first public flight – take a look at CityAirbus
Airbus’ CityAirbus eVTOL aircraft. Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/picture alliance/Getty
CityAirbus is the new eVTOL being developed by Airbus’ helicopter division that aims to set the stage for a new era of intra-city travel with flying taxis.
The futuristic-looking demonstrator can carry four passengers with a range of 60 miles, traveling at 75 miles per hour.
Airbus demonstrated the eVTOL in public for the first time on July 20 during a visit by a German politician to the facility in Bavaria.
Airbus’ electric flying taxis are set to take to the skies next year
Airbus has successfully completed testing on its CityAirbus’ propulsion system, putting the VTOL on track for a 2018 test flight. When its fully operational, it will be able to carry up to four people and maneuver around the city at 120km/h.
Continue reading… “Airbus’ electric flying taxis are set to take to the skies next year”
Introducing Larry Page’s Kitty Hawk Flyer
The Kitty Hawk Flyer is a sort of a flying car except it’s not a car at all – it’s much more like a flying ATV, which is probably more legitimately all-terrain than most. Linguistics aside, it’s a very cool piece of tech that’s backed by Google co-founder Larry Page, and it’s already in the ‘working prototype’ phase of development.
Continue reading… “Introducing Larry Page’s Kitty Hawk Flyer”
Introducing the Tesla self-flying electric car
Being a kid, flying cars were the norm, not the exception and you always assumed that your parents will definitely get such a thing the next time they’re shopping for a family car. Although different companies told us, that it’s just around the corner, it never materialized and Back To The Future never happened.
Continue reading… “Introducing the Tesla self-flying electric car”
Airbus’ Pop.Up concept may be the best “flying car” proposal to date
One of the biggest obstacles keeping flying cars grounded isn’t necessarily figuring out how to make a vehicle capable of flight (hello, helicopters) but rather, designing something that can both fly and drive on the streets.
The flexibility of being able to do both is incredibly appealing but physical limitations on both sides of the spectrum impact the ability to efficiently accomplish the other task.
That’s where Airbus’ latest concept changes things up.
Continue reading… “Airbus’ Pop.Up concept may be the best “flying car” proposal to date”
Airbus is planning to make autonomous, flying cars by 2017
We live in a time where Level 5 autonomous cars are close to becoming a reality, and more than one company is working towards bringing humans to Mars. Consider all this, it’s almost surprising that flying cars haven’t taken to the skies yet. But it turns out we may not have to wait too long: Airbus is planning to test a prototype, not only for a flying car but an autonomous flying car.
Continue reading… “Airbus is planning to make autonomous, flying cars by 2017”
Airbus: flying taxis a reality by 2020
Even as self-driving cars become more and more ubiquitous, there’s one problem that Silicon Valley hasn’t solved: the traffic jam. But Airbus Group, a U.S. aeronautics and space company, thinks that it has a solution. The company’s Silicon Valley branch recently announced it’s been working on a secret project titled “Vahana,” an autonomous flying vehicle that can be used for both passenger and cargo transport.
Continue reading… “Airbus: flying taxis a reality by 2020”
