SCHIPHOL-RIJK (dpa-AFX) - Airbus Group SE (EADSY.PK, EADSF.PK) plans to test a prototype for a self-piloted flying car by the end of 2017, Reuters reported, citing the aerospace group's chief executive officer Tom Enders.
According to Reuters, Enders said at the DLD digital tech conference in Munich on Monday that he hopes Airbus will demonstrate a single-person flying vehicle by the end of this year.
'One hundred years ago, urban transport went underground, now we have the technological wherewithal to go above ground. We are in an experimentation phase, we take this development very seriously. With flying, you don't need to pour billions into concrete bridges and roads,' Enders reportedly said.
Airbus has predicted that by 2030, 60 percent of the world's population will live in cities, which is ten percent more than today. In order to alleviate urban congestion and to address the rising concern of rush-hour traffic, Airbus is looking skywards to develop three ambitious projects.
In 2016, Airbus formed a division called Urban Air Mobility that is exploring concepts such as a vehicle to transport individuals or a helicopter-style vehicle that can carry multiple riders.
Under Project Vahana, Airbus aims to develop a self-piloted flying vehicle platform for individual passenger and cargo transport. Airbus has said earlier that flight tests of the first vehicle prototype are slated for the end of 2017. On Monday, CEO Enders confirmed that.
According to Airbus, technologies required for developing the self-piloted flying vehicle, such as batteries, motors and avionics are mostly available. However, Vahana also requires reliable sense-and-avoid technology.
Meanwhile, the Airbus Skyways project envisions huge fleets of parcel delivery drones in urban areas.
Under the third Urban Air Mobility project, developers in France and Germany are working on an electrically operated flying vehicle platform concept for multiple passengers. The aerial vehicle, named CityAirbus, would have multiple propellers and also resemble a small drone in its basic design.
While initially it would be operated by a pilot, it would switch over to full autonomous operations once regulations are in place, directly benefiting from Skyways and Vahana's contribution.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX