“Most cities have limited public transport options, a lack of parking space and busy roads. Add more people to the equation, and the result is cities in deadlock,” writes Prasad Satyavolu. “When reimagining cities, it is crucial that we identify how technology can be used to find ways to ease urban congestion, and how it can make city living and mobility faster and better, while remaining affordable.”

Excerpts from Les Echos’ article:

“According to the UN, 68% of the world’s population is expected to live in urban areas by 2050. As more and more people flock to cities, we will see denser populations, increased traffic congestion, and greater pressure on urban transportation and mobility. So, will flying taxis and a three-dimensional highway be the cure to inner-city deadlock by 2035?

Congestion of road networks is a problem infiltrating cities globally. Flying taxis have the potential to alleviate it. But imagine lifting half the current traffic commuting in and out of Paris above ground. As we currently stand, our systems simply are not ready to deal with the complexities of high-density traffic in the air. And unless businesses and governments work together to scale to the demand, we will face a new kind of congestion – digital congestion.

The energy Ecosystem for flying taxis is yet another element that needs attention. The changing landscape of propulsion technologies from fossil fuel based to an electrically charged battery powered environment needs further development to enable flying taxis. Significant advances in battery technology coupled with a viable charging infrastructure will have to be planned in tandem with the adoption curve.

Before flying taxis take off, businesses and government bodies across the world will need to re-think the basics of urban human mobility. To overcome the risk of digital congestion and respond to every aspect of the design of three-dimensional motorways, we need to adopt a consortium-based approach, where entrepreneurs, organisations and governments work collaboratively to introduce flying vehicles one step at a time.”

Click here to read the full article in French.