Vertical Aerospace's VX4 Makes Flying Taxis Seem Less Like Sci-Fi
Image Credit: Vertical Aerospace.
Well, well, well… flying taxis might not be as far-fetched as we thought! Our friends across the pond at Vertical Aerospace have just unveiled their latest eVTOL prototype – that's "electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing" for those of us who don't speak fluent aviation. Basically, it’s a giant drone that carries people, imagine that and you're not far off.
This isn't Vertical's first rodeo in the eVTOL world, but their VX4 is a bit like the prom queen of their fleet: it's the first one designed, built, and assembled entirely in the UK, and it's got some serious upgrades. It's more powerful than its predecessors, with a zippy top speed of 150 mph and a range of 100 miles. That means you could theoretically whiz from New York City to Philadelphia on a single charge – assuming you're not afraid of heights, of course!
The VX4 isn't exactly petite. It's about the size of a large SUV, and it seats four passengers plus a pilot. It looks a bit tight in there, but who needs legroom when you're soaring through the sky? And speaking of soaring, this baby is electric, so it's much quieter than your average helicopter. Your neighbors will thank you when you land on your rooftop helipad at 3 a.m. (Yes, I'm assuming you have one of those too).
Image Credit: Vertical Aerospace.
While this is exciting news, there’s a not-so-little detail that makes the whole thing simply huge. Vertical Aerospace already has 1,500 pre-orders for the VX4, totaling a cool $6 billion. That's right, billion with a "B." It seems airlines like Virgin Atlantic and American Airlines are betting big on this flying taxi thing. Now, I'm not saying I'm ready to ditch my trusty minivan just yet, but I can't deny that the idea of zipping over traffic jams is rather appealing.
Of course, there are still a few hurdles to clear before we're all hailing eVTOLs like Ubers. The VX4 is still in the testing phase, and it needs to get the green light from the UK Civil Aviation Authority before it can take to the skies with passengers. But if all goes according to plan, Vertical Aerospace says commercial operations could begin in the not-too-distant future.
Look, I'm not one to jump on every tech bandwagon that comes along, but I have to admit, I'm cautiously optimistic about this whole eVTOL thing. It's a bit like when I first got my hands on a Tesla – skeptical at first, but then quickly smitten with the quiet acceleration. Who knows, maybe flying taxis will be the next big thing. But even if they're not, I'm still holding out for my personal jetpack. A girl can dream, right?
