Posted on 10/02/2019 8:49:09 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Why don't we already have it with that large of a budget?
Oh, I know...we need more money!
How do you like the ioniq? I’ve seen a few, and they seem rather nicer (and less obnoxious looking) than the pious.
To think I was worried about falling Amazon drones and packages. Now, it’s falling cars.
The United States begins about 3/4 of the way down the page.
Notice that they are only talking about urban areas.
It seems like all the players are looking at multi-copter designs, like scaled up drones. Maybe tilt rotors for longer haul aircraft.
UPS just got approval from the FAA to operate a drone airline, for delivery of packages up to 55 pounds. Just scale that up a few fold.
The multiple rotors could have independent power supplies, for high reliability redundancy/graceful degradation in case of failures. The onboard computer could gauge weight, and verify adequate power for the planned trip, before leaving.
Ultra-reliability/redundancy will be needed, because failures would be highly lethal from hundreds of feet in the air. Maybe there will be special seats and restraints for added protection, as well as airbags and automatic parachutes.
How much more is your eventual "air taxi" ride going to cost?
Wide use would probably require a standard transponder system onboard each aircraft, to constantly broadcast its position, to support automatic collision avoidance, as well as traffic control, access authorizations, parking/landing clearance, and of course,, tolls and taxes.
Your link highlights more uses than urban commuters.
Rural supplies (farms, ranches, cabins) point to point links (B2B), and around large facilities like a campus, oilfield/offshore platforms, or ports.
Communications relays and surveillance functions might use them as well.
Future problems to be worried about AFTER we get our flying cars!
I would love a Jetsons saucer.
And just think about what it would do for parking if it folds upto a briefcase!
But I don’t if I could stand those grueling two-hour workdays at Spacely’s Sprockets!
I had a Prius C that i traded in for the Ioniq.
I bought the base version because it gets the better MPG. The upgrade versions had all the driver safety stuff on it, adding weight. Bought a new 2017 in 2018. Got a great deal on it. They don’t hold value like a Toyota or a Honda, but I don’t care about that.
I ended up buying a spare tire kit.
I would like to see a rear windshield wiper.
The mpgs on this thing is crazy. Went to texas and back (to illinois) and spent less than 90 bucks in gas. (plus 30 bucks in tolls in OK)
It ride’s half-way decent and there’s decent storage space with the back seats down.
The Prius had a 9.5 gal gas tank. The Ioniq has an 11.9 gas tank.
Interesting thing is(besides their awesome warranties)...lifetime warranty on the hybrid batteries.
This could very well be the last car I ever buy.
Yep, nothing about private use, only commercial use.
the Hyundai Airlantra?
funny thing is that’s kind of whai I was thinking. Lifetime battery warranty, yum. :)
you beat me to it, though i was going to propose to Hyundai that that design should be considered as a prototype for their flying car ...
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