Leapfrogging Africa towards flying taxis

The year 2023 looks hopeful for the actualisation of the development of electrical vertical take-off and landing aircraft ( EVTOL), also called flying taxis.

These aircraft move in the air using multiple small rotors, just like hovering drones and carry fewer than six passengers. They have clever software which controls the rotors. They are easier to fly than a helicopter. They do have capacity for autonomous flight and they take-off and land vertically like helicopters but are quieter than helicopters. They have potential for being greener if recharged from a renewable source of electricity, simpler mechanically and cheaper to run.

Volocity

Volocity

Volocity

Sample of what a Vertiport will look like

Sample of what a Vertiport will look like

Efforts are being made to obtain an airworthiness certificate, as well as step up commercial production of this aircraft. To achieve this goal flight trials are reported to be taking place in Europe and Asia.  It is hoped that approval will be given in time for the Olympics in Paris in 2024 for Volocopter, a German company, to get its 2-seater Volocity to be approved.

Africa has always had the opportunity to leapfrog, to be at the cutting edge of technology and need not repeat the mistakes and failures of others. A good example has been mobile telephone technology. This innovation on flying taxis need not be different. African aviation should not be left behind and flying taxis should be in the front seat of the planning process across African airports and stakeholders.

The aviation industry has adopted the name vertiport to describe a new type of air terminal for flying taxis or EVTOLs. The prototype terminal in Europe is reported to be as big as a medium sized apartment. A passenger is not expected to spend more than 10 to 15 minutes in the terminal. The vertiport is expected to take up as little space as possible.

Facilitation at the terminal is interesting to note. Through a mobile phone app a ticket can be bought making check-in quick and paperless. A facial recognition scan will be used to confirm the identity of the passenger it is reported. A floor sensor measures weight so that the aircraft on a pad outside the terminal will calculate its load to know how much power will be needed for the journey and when its batteries will require topping up.

The ventiports will be expected to aid in the leap towards commercial services and airworthiness by showing that flying taxis are reliable, safe and that their flights can be integrated into existing air traffic control systems.

With eyes on a differentiated premium experience, African airport terminals have an opportunity in the bigger terminals resulting from various efforts at remodelling. Spaces can be made available for facilitating passengers on flying taxis. Reducing wait time and achieving speedy facilitation requires paying more attention to service quality metrics in performance measurement.

A South African startup Phractyl has been reported to have unveiled a hybrid bird plane named Macrobat which is very different from what the industry had created before. With tracked bird feet, bird legs, a tilting cabin and tilting wings, it holds promise of a near vertical take-off and landing ( NVTOL) which can be done in unprepared terrain.

This is good news from Africa where land based transport infrastructure is not well developed. Places that are not easily accessible by land based transport infrastructure will expect improved mobility for people and goods. There will be no need for prepared sites and Runways which will increase its acceptance.

Another good news from Africa is that Kenya Airways has been reported to plan to pilot electric vehicles that take-off and land vertically to enable passengers to beat traffic from 2025. This is part of the diversification by the airline through its new subsidiary, Fahan Aviation.

Other than transport of people, other uses include recreational flight, medical deliveries, cargo transport, infrastructure inspection and crop spraying among others.

A wide door is open for African aviation to increase its contribution to GDP as well as grow regional integration leveraging on EVTOL.

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