Passenger Carrying Drones: The Future of Transportation?

December 8, 2022
12:58 am

The idea of drones transporting people has been a hot topic in the tech world for a while now. Recently, companies such as Uber, Airbus, and Joby Aviation have announced plans to develop unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for human transport. Altogether, they are investing billions of dollars into research and development.

Research and Development

The concept of using drones to transport people is not new. As early as the 1960s, the United States experimented with UAVs for cargo transport. But then, the real breakthrough was electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, which moved the needle dramatically forward.

Prototypes are already underway. The California-based and Uber-backed Joby Aviation has developed a five-passenger drone that expects FAA certification by the end of 2022. Airbus, a European aerospace company, has developed a four-person passenger drone set for its first public flight in 2025. It’s only a matter of time before they are tested on the market and we see whether they are a viable form of transportation.

Potential Market

The main speculation of the market of passenger drones is to be used as an autonomous taxi service. Currently, drones are much more effective for short distances, so the idea would be transportation within a city. However, one advantage is that they are much quieter than conventional aircraft, making them much less disruptive to urban life.

Overall, drones have the potential to be a viable business for passenger transport. The technology is advancing rapidly, and there is a growing market for short-distance transportation. Furthermore, safety features are being developed that can help to reduce the risk of accidents.

Safety Concerns

Cost and Investment

The cost per flight with passenger drones is currently unknown, but the first few will surely be very expensive. It’s only over time that the prices will go down. This is what we see with most new technologies.

However, the initial investments from companies like Uber and Airbus suggest that the cost of these services will be quite high. The total expected cost of developing and certifying the technology for public use is between $20 and $ 50 billion.

Timeline

The first passenger drone prototypes were shown in trade shows more than five years ago. Companies like Uber and Airbus hope to have the first commercial flights in operation by the end of 2021. Joby Aviation aims to have its first commercial flights available by 2023.

Despite the high costs and uncertain timeline, the potential of using drones to transport people is exciting. It could revolutionize how we travel, allowing us to get around faster and more efficiently, making cities more like those we’ve seen in the Jetsons or the Fifth Element, where flying cars rule the skies. Plus, they could help reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality, and enable more people to access remote areas. Additionally, using drones could eventually bring down the cost of transportation, making it more affordable for people to travel.