Ever wondered about checking the fastest available option on your public transportation app and finding yourself an air vehicle to be the best option? Stepping in an aircraft and not finding a pilot in the front seat? Fully autonomous flying will change the way we go from A to B. This will be our future, however, we are not there yet.
Flying cars will be initially piloted. With technology improving and the use of sensors, big data, and AI, flying cars will become autonomous. First, the pilot will be assisted with technology to take over some of the workloads. Another 10-15 years is needed to develop fully autonomous air vehicles and to collect sufficient data for the authorities to approve fully autonomous air vehicles. Once the technology is there, the need for a pilot license to get yourself from A to B via the air becomes obsolete.
Autonomous flying will be our future, however, we are not there yet.
It’s expected that we will see the first autonomous air vehicles flying cargo from HUBs outside cities to the city skirts via so-called Highways In The Skies (HITS). HITS designated virtual tunnels for these kinds of operations allowing unmanned air vehicles to travel through the air via predefined routes.
Once this technology matures the autonomous air vehicles will be getting closer to the city centres and start transporting passengers from platform to platform. This is comparable as we nowadays use busses and metros. Instead of going to the subway, you will find yourself in a PAL-V port in which you will find multiple PAL-Vs waiting for you to take you to your next destination. Shortening your commute times and above all giving you a birds-eye view of the city.
