The sky can't wait: drones and taxis pick up speed in the mobility of the future

Sustainable mobility is perhaps one of the irreplaceable foundations of the energy transition. According to a UN report, the transport sector is responsible for 24% of direct carbon dioxide emissions, which corresponds to 8 billion tons of CO2 emissions in total. The EEA - European Environment Agency - warns that the sector, as it is currently organized, is “not sustainable” and is responsible for one-fourth of all the European Union's greenhouse gas emissions, and is also the only one whose emissions have gone up since 1990.

The European Union aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, meaning zero net greenhouse gas emissions, and the European Green Deal aims to reduce transport-related gases by 90%. To this end, initiatives have been proposed, from boosting the transport of goods by rail and reducing the need for people to travel, to adopting innovative solutions based on electric mobility and new technologies.

One particularly innovative proposal is the promotion of urban air mobility (UAM). At the same time, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has presented IAM Hub (where IAM stands for Innovative Air Mobility): a digital environment where all stakeholders can exchange information on air taxis and drones.

It is obvious that the mobility of the future is looking to the sky, and the urban air mobility of yesteryear once regarded as science fiction is becoming science fact, redefining our conception of urban and extra-urban transport. Indeed, this concept covers not only the passenger transport by air taxi, but also essential services such as the transport of blood, organs, traffic surveillance and public security.

By 2030, 60% of the world's population is expected to live in large urban centers: UAM offers a solution to address problems such as pollution, traffic congestion and the inefficient use of urban space. These vehicles are designed to travel short distances (under 50 km) at low altitudes (below 1,500 meters). The goal, therefore, is to implement silent, clean and safe transport technologies for smart mobility.

Recent advances in the sector include both vehicles driven by humans and remote and autonomous driving technologies, although the latter remains a major challenge. In anticipation of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, a line of air taxis was announced based on the Volocity model of German startup Volocopter.

To transition from prototypes to large-scale implementation, investments in infrastructure are needed, such as vertiports- vertical take-off and landing spaces - to promote the use of drones, whose services could, according to EU estimates, attain a market value of 14.5 billion euros between now and 2030. Also by 2030, it is estimated that the global market for vertical take-off and landing drones and air taxis will reach $52 billion.

Regulatory changes are also needed in the field of aviation, with the aim of identifying common standards for the different countries and providing training plans for air traffic control personnel. After an initial pioneering phase led by various start-ups, it is now the automotive giants that are pushing this transport revolution forward by undertaking innovative projects around the world, involving companies such as Boeing, Airbus, Hyundai, Stellantis and Toyota.

The industry is developing different eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) models, each with its own unique characteristics to meet different needs. From small multi-rotors, which are efficient but have a limited speed, and tilt thrust models with the ability to achieve higher speeds, to lift & cruise vehicles, which combine the characteristics of multi-rotor and winged systems. Each model strikes a balance between speed, range, safety and operational costs.

Many challenges remain, from purely technical ones, such as the battery life and connectivity needed to ensure fluid and secure communications, to those involving the opinion of the public, which must see these solutions as safe. Despite this, UAM is emerging as a fundamental pillar for mobility in the cities of tomorrow.