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How Volocopter’s ‘flying taxi’ stations will be running by 2028

How Volocopter’s ‘flying taxi’ stations will be running by 2028

How Volocopter’s ‘flying taxi’ stations will use an elaborate system of conveyor belts and lifts to handle 10,000 passengers each day by 2028.

The future of travel has been unveiled by Volocopter – and it seems remarkably efficient. The German flying car start-up has released a video that shows its vision of an urban ‘air taxi’ system that could handle 10,000 passengers each day. The system features elaborate ‘Volo-port’ stations perched on top of skyscrapers that are equipped with conveyor belts, swappable battery packs and lifts to speed up transfer of passengers. This means aircraft are always fully charged and ready to go, according to the company, which claims these futuristic landing pads could be commercially viable for normal people. The company hopes to have a prototype station in place next year but predicts that it will take around ten years before a city-wide system is in place. 

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The Stuttgart-based start-up’s ambitious plan is to create circular launchpads on the top floor of skyscrapers in cities from where the electric aircraft would take off and land, writes the Verge. They would have a conveyor belt that would transport the vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft into an indoor hanger.

From there, they would moved to a garage where maintenance work can be carried out. The system would be so efficient the company claims 1,000 passengers could board and disembark every hour.’It’s about mass transportation of people and how it can be done in a safe way and with what infrastructure,’ Alexander Zosel, Volocopter’s co-founder and chief innovation officer, told the Verge. Mr Zosel said the Volocopter aircraft would need to land every 30 seconds. Having such high volume is important if the company is able to handle lots of passengers and therefore be affordable.

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Initially, the taxis would only fly over a short distance with flight times of around 30 minutes and a maximum range of 17 miles (27km). However, some have doubts about how feasible this technology will be – most batteries are still far off offering the power-to-weight ratio required to take off. The company has demonstrated its capabilities in Germany and Dubai where it believed the company is most likely to launch its first service. More recently it announced it partnership with Intel in CES at Las Vegas.

The company stunned attendees during Intel’s keynote by flying the drone right onto the stage, in what a spokesperson admitted was a ‘ballsy’ move. In a presentation about Volocopter’s craft, an exhibitor said it is the ‘world’s first autonomous air taxi.’The craft completed the first unmanned test flight in Dubai this past autumn. ‘Potentially in years to come, you would be able to take your phone out and pull up a transportation application, and similar to what you do with a taxi today, summon this to your location, hop in, tell it where you’re going. ‘And it would autonomously fly you to that location, no pilot required. It’s a safe, reliable form of transportation’, the exhibitor said. The Volocopter craft ‘is essentially a scaled-up super drone,’ he noted. It is fully electric, allowing for zero emission travel. And, it’s quiet enough to be operated in an urban environment.

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Volocopter relies on a system of ‘redundancies’ to ensure its safety, meaning there are many propellers, batteries, and motors to compensate in case one goes out. With Intel’s flight control technology and a ‘myriad of sensors,’ the craft is ‘constantly analysing environmental data to ensure those redundancies,’ a Volocopter exhibitor explained.

There are 18 independent motors and propellers, but ‘if that seems like way too many, what it allows for is, you can lose a propeller or several of them and still maintain your flight.’There are nine batteries, ensuring the same type of back-up. According to the firm, rides in the flying taxis would likely be comparable to a trip in an Uber Black.

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Courtesy: DailyMail

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Aerospace

Revolutionizing Air Cargo: Dronamics and Qatar Airways Cargo Pioneer Drone-Airline Partnership

Dronamics, the inaugural cargo drone airline licensed to operate in Europe, and Qatar Airways Cargo, the world’s largest international cargo carrier, have announced a groundbreaking interline agreement. This partnership marks the first-ever interline agreement between a global airline and a cargo drone carrier.

The interline agreement facilitates the expansion of delivery networks for both collaborators, significantly broadening their outreach and granting access to regions traditionally challenging for conventional air freight.

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Droneports Network of Qatar Airways Cargo.

Through this arrangement, Dronamics can offer cargo services from any of its droneports, initially located in Greece, to the extensive network of Qatar Airways Cargo.

This network includes destinations like Singapore, China (including Hong Kong), and the United States (JFK). Conversely, Qatar Airways Cargo gains access to remote locations served by Dronamics, such as the Greek islands, through the cargo drone network.

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The expansion of this network allows Dronamics customers to make seamless bookings for transporting goods from a Dronamics droneport to any destination covered by the joint interline network, and vice versa.

It enables swift and reliable shipments

This development opens up significant potential for the flow of various goods, including pharmaceuticals, food, e-commerce items, mail, parcels, and spare parts. It enables swift and reliable shipments to and from locations that were previously underserved by air freight.

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Svilen Rangelov, Co-Founder and CEO of Dronamics, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, “We’re very excited to have the world’s largest air cargo carrier as our partner for the first-of-its-kind interline agreement with our category-defining cargo drone airline.”

Rangelov emphasized the opportunity to exponentially expand air cargo accessibility globally, enabling same-day delivery to numerous communities worldwide.

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Elisabeth Oudkerk, SVP Cargo Sales & Network Planning at Qatar Airways Cargo, highlighted the airline’s commitment to embracing disruptive technology and supporting ambitious companies like Dronamics.

She noted the significance of being the first international airline to offer this innovative service, marking a milestone in the advancement of autonomous cargo drone transportation.

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Dronamics is set to commence commercial operations in Greece early next year, with a focus on establishing a same-day service connecting Athens, the capital city, with the industrial north area of the country, as well as the southern islands.

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Airlines

Air India B787 Dreamliner Cabin Experiences Water Leak During midflight

Air India B787 Dreamliner Cabin Experiences Water Leak During midflight

On November 29, an Air India flight en route from Delhi to London Gatwick Airport faced a mid-flight cabin leak originating from an overhead storage unit. The incident involved a water leak within the cabin of an Air India 787 Dreamliner while flying over India.

Despite the unexpected situation, the cabin crew maintained a reassuring demeanor, encouraging passengers to remain calm. There was also a leak of water from the plane’s roof, so the pilot urged the passengers not to panic.

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The odd thing is that, based on videos posted online, passengers did not appear to be significantly impacted when the leak was reported by a crew member. The leak may have been caused by a cooling system malfunction, though this is suspected.

A passenger shared the video on X, showing water continuously dripping onto passengers’ seats from overhead bins. A user commented, “It’s possible that some travellers left their fully filled water bottles in their cabin luggage, which could be the cause of this. They advise us to carry water bottles because of this. The company may not be the only one at fault. “Can passengers request a refund in situations like this?” asked another.

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Aerospace

Russia Begins Su-75 Checkmate’s Production Process

Russia Begins Su-75 Checkmate’s Production Process

Russia has initiated the initial stages of manufacturing the Su-75 ‘Checkmate’ stealth fighter aircraft, marking a significant milestone in the development of its single-engine fifth-generation fighter jet.

The project documentation has been officially transmitted to the manufacturing plant, incorporating minor modifications in response to the preferences of potential customers during the preparatory phase.

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Several adjustments have been implemented in the project, including an extension of the maiden flight. The delivery of the design documentation to the manufacturer signifies the commencement of the production of initial samples.

Anticipated to make their debut in 2024–2025, the aircraft prototypes are expected to be followed by a pilot batch in 2026, as per previous disclosures by UAC. Serial production is projected to take place between 2026 and 2027.

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The introduced modifications have enhanced the competitiveness and commercial appeal of domestic single-engine aircraft while simultaneously mitigating technical risks associated with development.

The Russian Federation and the Ministry of Industry and Trade anticipate the unveiling of a prototype for Russia’s fifth-generation light fighter, Checkmate, by the end of 2025. As the Su-75 enters mass production, several countries may acquire their first fifth-generation stealth fighter. However, challenges persist regarding Russia’s claim that the Su-75’s capabilities can directly rival those of the US F-35 Lightning II fighter.

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Aerospace

Iran Finalizes Contract to Procure Russian Fighter Aircraft

Iran Finalizes Contract to Procure Russian Fighter Aircraft

Iran has concluded its plans to procure military aircraft from Russia, as reported by Iranian state media.

The finalized agreement includes the purchase of advanced Russian military assets, including Yak-130 jet trainers, Mil Mi-28 attack helicopters, and Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets, as confirmed by Brigadier General Mahdi Farahi, Iran’s Deputy Defence Minister.

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Iran has the most military helicopters in the area and has significantly improved its capabilities through a number of upgrade projects. Tehran is expected to receive 24 Su-35 Flanker-E fighter jets from Moscow, although the deputy minister did not specify how many aircraft were scheduled for delivery.

Iranian is facing geopolitical issues with the US Earlier. it used to have f-16 and other fighter jets which were built by the US operating in the Iran Air Force. Later on with the Middle East political tension united States rejected arms supplies to Iran. Further, Iran depended on russia and the Turkish aircraft. Due to recent Israel conflicts it planning to procure more defensive products from Russia.

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Su-35s would be a major upgrade over Iran’s current fleet of aircraft, but how much better the planes are will depend on a number of factors, such as the equipment, training, and other capabilities that come with them and how well they integrate with Iran’s potent integrated air and missile defense systems.

Whatever the case, the growing security cooperation between Russia and Iran poses a serious challenge to American allies in Europe, Israel, and the Arab world. Washington and its allies and partners should work together to counter the expanding Russian-Iranian axis rather than worrying about the issue separately.

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Addressing last week, John Kirby, a spokesman for the US National Security Council, said that after giving Moscow drones, guided aerial bombs, and artillery ammunition, Tehran might now supply Russia with ballistic missiles to use in its conflict in Ukraine. In return, Iran is seeking billions of dollars worth of military hardware from Russia in exchange for bolstering its military capabilities.

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Airlines

flynas partners with Eve Air to bring eVTOL operations to Riyadh and Jeddah

flynas partners with Eve Air to bring eVTOL operations to Riyadh and Jeddah

Eve Air Mobility has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to investigate the possibility of operating electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in Saudi Arabia.

Flynas is the top low-cost airline in the Middle East and the world. In 2026, the partners plan to investigate the feasibility of launching eVTOL operations in Riyadh and Jeddah.

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“This collaboration is a significant step towards realizing our common goal of sustainable air travel, as well as a demonstration of our dedication to establishing an eco-friendly, accessible, and efficient transportation system,” stated Johann Bordais, CEO of Eve.

“We are excited to start this revolutionary journey with flynas and work together to improve Saudi Arabia’s air mobility in the future.” The agreement will help Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector by establishing and bolstering the region’s potential electric flight ecosystem. Additionally, the partnership will support the ambitious targets in the aviation sector as well as the sustainability goals of Vision 2030.

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More than 1,500 flights per week are offered by flynas to more than 70 domestic and international locations. The launch of eVTOL flights to Saudi Arabia as well as the joint venture between Eve and flynas will give passengers another choice for urban transportation while reaffirming the companies’ dedication to influencing the direction of electric aviation and offering effective, secure, and environmentally friendly transportation to the area.

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Airlines

Embraer gets new order from Porter Airlines for 25 jets

Embraer gets new order from Porter Airlines for 25 jets

Porter Airlines has added to its 50 existing firm orders with the exercise of purchase rights to place a firm order for 25 Embraer E195-E2 passenger jets.

With the new aircraft, Porter will be able to reach more locations across Porter and continue its highly regarded service. With 25 purchase rights left, Porter’s orders with Embraer now stand at 75 firm, valued at US$2.1 billion at list price. This deal will be added to the Q4 backlog.

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The E195-E2’s North American launch customer, Porter, has already accepted delivery of 24 of the aircraft and has just revealed plans to fly to new locations in Mexico and the Caribbean in addition to Las Vegas, Miami, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. At the moment, the planes are being used out of Eastern Canada, primarily targeting Ottawa and Toronto Pearson International Airport.

The E195-E2 is also bringing new services to Halifax and Montreal. Porter has decided to set up the 146-seat aircraft in a cosy all-economy configuration with 132 seats, offering 36, 34, and 30-inch seat pitches to their guests.

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