The NASA space agency is now also working on the future flying taxi. In collaboration with startup Joby Aviation, this taxi can be shot into the air and based on electric power.
Called the all-electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL), this flying taxi has six propellers. Later it will be used to transport cargo or passengers in urban areas.
The taxi is designed to fly as quietly as possible so as not to make noise in urban areas. NASA and Joby Aviation will begin testing it as part of the National Campaign's Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) program.
NASA engineers will mainly focus on measuring noise levels in this helicopter-like vehicle. The data obtained is expected to be a guide for flying taxi regulations in the future.
NASA engineers will use 50 specialized ground-based microphones that can accurately measure sound emissions during the helicopter's multiple flight stages. Later the data will be compared with noise from conventional helicopters, drones and other aircraft.
This vehicle is expected not to make noise so that it still makes urban residents comfortable. "From day one, we prioritized building aircraft that were not only very quiet but blended in with the natural environment," said Joby Aviation CEO Joe Ben Bevirt.
The propellers in this flying taxi are designed to minimize noise. It can travel 240 kilometers in a single flight and the maximum speed can reach 320 kilometers per hour.
Joby has since 2017 fully tested the prototype and has carried out 1,000 flight trials. They expect this flying taxi to have been certified in 2023 by the United States authorities and can start transporting passengers in 2024.
