Toyota invests $394m in Joby Aviation's flying taxis
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Toyota invests $394m in Joby Aviation's flying taxis
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Re: Toyota invests $394m in Joby Aviation's flying taxis
#2There are a lot of companies working on "flying taxis".
All of those seem to have a large footprint with lots of rotors, meaning they will need dedicated landing/take off zones.
This seems to limit their usability a lot, turning them more into a short range point to point helicopter service.
Not to mention the noise pollution. Those things are all loud.
Combine that with limited speed and range, and I just don't see the concept taking off in a big way.
Some other competitors:
* Volocopter: https://www.volocopter.com https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OazFiIhwAEs
* Hyunday S-A1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6K7GAG1Aas
* Bell Nexus: https://www.bellflight.com/products/bell-nexus
* Ehang: https://www.ehang.com/ehang184/index https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d66MoI4GdFs
* Kitty Hawk HeavySide (Larry Page pet project): https://kittyhawk.aero https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7mc3C19kE4
* Lilium (branded as jet): https://lilium.com https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qotuu8JjQM
Re: Toyota invests $394m in Joby Aviation's flying taxis
#3There are a lot of companies working on "flying taxis". All of those seem to have a large footprint with lots of rotors, meaning they will need dedicated landing/take off zones. This seems to limit their usability a lot, turning them more into a short range point to point helicopter service. Not to mention the noise pollution. Those things are all loud. Combine that with limited speed and range, and I just don't see…
From what I gather most companies in the space plan to land and take off from rooftops. That leaves a lot more options for stations and edges connecting them leading to a denser network than something like a subterranean train which requires dedicated stations with tunnels in between them
Re: Toyota invests $394m in Joby Aviation's flying taxis
#4There are a lot of companies working on "flying taxis". All of those seem to have a large footprint with lots of rotors, meaning they will need dedicated landing/take off zones. This seems to limit their usability a lot, turning them more into a short range point to point helicopter service. Not to mention the noise pollution. Those things are all loud. Combine that with limited speed and range, and I just don't see…
From what I gather most companies in the space plan to land and take off from rooftops. That leaves a lot more options for stations and edges connecting them leading to a denser network than something like a subterranean train which requires dedicated stations with tunnels in between them
In that case, what makes them more useful than helicopters?
Re: Toyota invests $394m in Joby Aviation's flying taxis
#5There are a lot of companies working on "flying taxis". All of those seem to have a large footprint with lots of rotors, meaning they will need dedicated landing/take off zones. This seems to limit their usability a lot, turning them more into a short range point to point helicopter service. Not to mention the noise pollution. Those things are all loud. Combine that with limited speed and range, and I just don't see…
From what I gather most companies in the space plan to land and take off from rooftops. That leaves a lot more options for stations and edges connecting them leading to a denser network than something like a subterranean train which requires dedicated stations with tunnels in between them
There's actually examples of this in the world now. In São Paulo, the rich take helicopters between buildings [1].
Re: Toyota invests $394m in Joby Aviation's flying taxis
#6There are a lot of companies working on "flying taxis". All of those seem to have a large footprint with lots of rotors, meaning they will need dedicated landing/take off zones. This seems to limit their usability a lot, turning them more into a short range point to point helicopter service. Not to mention the noise pollution. Those things are all loud. Combine that with limited speed and range, and I just don't see…
The people with the money for these have the political power to force others to deal with the noise. Already, helicopters have remarkably few restrictions. If you can afford one, you can fly it almost anywhere you want.
Re: Toyota invests $394m in Joby Aviation's flying taxis
#7One only see a few helicopters at time in typical city skyline.
I wonder what happen if there are just 100 of them on the air at the same time.
Re: Toyota invests $394m in Joby Aviation's flying taxis
#8Earlier quoted context omitted.
From what I gather most companies in the space plan to land and take off from rooftops. That leaves a lot more options for stations and edges connecting them leading to a denser network than something like a subterranean train which requires dedicated stations with tunnels in between them
There's actually examples of this in the world now. In São Paulo, the rich take helicopters between buildings [1]. [1] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/jun/20/brazil
Even so there are only 469 (in 2008 according to the article) in all of São Paulo and that’s the metro area with the most helicopters in the world.
I doubt the likes of Hyundai are looking to sell their things “in the hundreds to thousands” range.
It’d a a big change in air traffic and noise pollution.
Re: Toyota invests $394m in Joby Aviation's flying taxis
#9There are a lot of companies working on "flying taxis". All of those seem to have a large footprint with lots of rotors, meaning they will need dedicated landing/take off zones. This seems to limit their usability a lot, turning them more into a short range point to point helicopter service. Not to mention the noise pollution. Those things are all loud. Combine that with limited speed and range, and I just don't see…
The people with the money for these have the political power to force others to deal with the noise. Already, helicopters have remarkably few restrictions. If you can afford one, you can fly it almost anywhere you want.
Helicopters are so expensive to own and operate that the number of people that are even in the running to cause noise is low to begin with.
Re: Toyota invests $394m in Joby Aviation's flying taxis
#10Earlier quoted context omitted.
The people with the money for these have the political power to force others to deal with the noise. Already, helicopters have remarkably few restrictions. If you can afford one, you can fly it almost anywhere you want.
Helicopters are so expensive to own and operate that the number of people that are even in the running to cause noise is low to begin with.
Exactly, people with that much money can lobby against any noise restrictions.