[blackwasp]

Boeing has conducted the first test flight of a prototype of its passenger air vehicle (PAV). The all-electric, self-driven aircraft will get vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capabilities with an aim to serve as an on-demand autonomous air transport.

The PAV measures 9.14 m in length, 8.53 m in width and has a total range of 80.47 km. It features integrated wing and propulsion systems. The aircraft has been designed for fully autonomous flight.

The test was conducted in Manassas, Virginia in USA. The company claims that the prototype completed take-off, hovering and landing successfully along with the testing of autonomous functions and ground control systems. In the next phase of testing, the aircraft is scheduled to be tested for wing-borne flight (forward motion) and the transition between vertical and horizontal flight.

The PAV is a part of Boeing NeXt, which is developing autonomous aircrafts. Aircrafts undergoing development include a cargo air vehicle (CAV) that can carry up to 227 kg of payload and other urban, regional and global mobility platforms. The CAV is scheduled to undergo outdoor testing in 2019.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpaYoF12Rnk

Link to the Team-BHP News

[Jeroen]

Very interesting, thanks for sharing.

Although, I must be honest, I am somewhat sceptical about these passenger autonomous vehicles in terms of when we will see them being used in real life.

Having drones deliver a package, or passenger are two very different things. For decades various companies have been trying to develop and commercialise the car/plane concept. It has never taken off (pardon the pun).

But from a technology point of view these are very interesting development of course. But I am not sure what market they would be addressing. Flying passengers, especially paying passenger (i.e. commercial operations) requires a very strict regime.

None of todays environment, be it legislation, airspace, air traffic control, airports is really equipped to handle this sort of traffic.

Typically these sort of flying vehicle are promoted/positioned as helping people get to and from places quickly, avoiding congestions. In order to do so you need a fleet of these things similar to a taxi fleet. Where are they all going to land/take off, park when not in use?

That is before you even start considering what sort of legislation requirements they will need to comply with to be allowed in airspace, fly over density populated cities etc.

And of course, how would be brave enough to get into the thing in the first place? We are still trying to come to terms with the first versions of autonomous cars. This is an order of magnitude more complex.

But interesting to see how this develops

Jeroen

[V.Narayan]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

Very interesting, thanks for sharing.

Although, I must be honest, I am somewhat sceptical about these passenger autonomous vehicles in terms of when we will see them being used in real life.

All very sound points. To add to what Jeroen writes - the space occupied by this machine on the ground and in an airspace [that is densely built up with buildings, trees and towers] is way too much for 2 or maximum 3 passengers. Maybe it is a technology proof of concept prototype for something different - civil or military hush-hush - though I cant guess what. Soon it will feature in a James Bond or Terminator movie.

1954 Flying Car.

[Malyaj]

In my opinion the car/plane projects have failed to yield results because they offer nothing dramatically different from already existing and very competent STOL aircraft. Unless an aircraft is capable of vertical take off (like the larger V-22 Osprey, jointly developed by Boeing and Bell Helicopters), it will still require sufficient distance to take off. Small size, or integration with a car like fuselage means little in the larger landscape of flying.

Autonomous transport aircraft may have utility in defense for evacuating injured personnel from places where sending a manned mission may be dangerous. Or for dropping relief supplies, say in mountainous areas or areas with bad weather. Extensive usage in civil aerospace is difficult to fathom right now, simply for the practical challenges, even if one overcomes the byzantine maze of regulations.

[srishiva]

It should be easier to do these than cars running on road ? Atleast for some point to point delivery of goods or even people.
But if there is an issue with navigation or collision avoidance, it cant stop like a car :(

[the_skyliner]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

But interesting to see how this develops

Jeroen

True that. It is interesting to see how not just the biggies but also so many smaller companies are coming up with newer concepts every now and then.

However, it's true that there is a long, long way to go for these little machines to become technically, regulatory wise and commercially viable.

Originally Posted by Malyaj

Unless an aircraft is capable of vertical take off (like the larger V-22 Osprey, jointly developed by Boeing and Bell Helicopters), it will still require sufficient distance to take off.

Something like this?:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mr1V-r2YxME

Skip to 3:30 in the video.

All eyes are on Dubai expo 2020 as there is some hope of seeing "flying taxis" thing in action there.