Renewable Revolution

Fred Lambert - Apr. 25th 2017 5:37 pm ET  @FredericLambert

SNIPPET:

Aurora Flight Sciences, Pipistrel Aircraft, Embraer, Mooney and Bell Helicopter are the aircraft manufacturers working with Uber.

Electric vehicle charging station manufacturer ChargePoint announced “an exclusive charging partnership with Uber Elevate to support a global vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) transportation network”.

They confirmed that they will base the charging technology on the new Express Plus platform unveiled CES earlier this year. It enables a charging rate of up to 400 kW.

Uber’s timeline appears to aim for first flights in 2020. Other companies have announced even more aggressive timelines for eVTOL, but they are mostly for pilot projects or different applications than commuting transit, like Kitty Hawk – at least for the moment.

https://electrek.co/guides/uber/

Some Comments: 

PapaKoulikov
Well Uber is worth $50B. They have cash. Pipistrel has had a flying electric two seat plane out for a few years now. Embraer is the 4th largest plane manufacturer in the world and Bell has been doing Vert take off since almost the invention of the helicopter. I would say they have a pretty good team with a solid financial backing plus a committed end user (Uber itself). I wouldn't make fun of it quite yet. The regulatory will actually be a lot easier than most think. They are VTOL so they fall into the under 500' in a built up area regulations instead of 1000' like fixed wing. They most likely have multiple electric motors so they don't need to worry about single engine approach regulations, and they may be able to fall into the drone category which basically gives free reign under 250' I believe. They will have to certify the aircraft but since it is less than 12,500lbs, less than 19 passengers, and not a pressurized turbine that should be an easier certification process which Pipistrel, Bell, and Embraer have each done many times. 2020 may be a little tight on the deadline but we don't know how long they have been working on it. It also said first public demo in 2020 not when the service would start.
 

mdudek > PapaKoulikov
Company's market valuation != cash in bank.


GregS > mdudek
Exactly!
Besides I sure as heck would not want to be in a flying taxi, trying to avoid all the Dominos pizza drones as well as the Amazon drones, not to mention just the idiots flying drones.

agelbert  >GregS

Flying is statistically safer than taking a shower, which is MUCH safer than driving or riding in a car. AND, 99% (or more) of all aircraft accidents are due to pilot error, not computer instrument error. Therefore, autonomous flying vehicles will have a huge safety margin (and low insurance costs!) over what is out there now. Yes, package delivery will be routine before people transportation is, but the fact that no roads or bridges (or tolls) are needed is a huge plus.

The only reason we do not have more of a "Jetsons" electric type transportation network on the land, sea and air is because the fossil fuel industry has done absolutely everything possible to prevent that.

"There is a nice legal concept called estoppel. If you argue that you didn't kill the Major in the library with the Ming vase because you were in bed with his wife, you are estopped from pleading self-defense. In the same way, polluters are estopped from arguing that they were only complying with public policy as laid down in the law, because they spent tens of millions shaping those policies and laws to their advantage." James Wimberley