Airbus show off their first flying taxi prototype as it takes to the skies
Traffic jams are synonymous with cars, and both are global issues, so companies are looking to the future and trying to reinvent travel and mobility.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2020) 'Airbus show off their first flying taxi prototype as it takes to the skies', 311 Institute, 9 August. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/airbus-show-off-their-first-flying-taxi-prototype-as-it-takes-to-the-skies/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
Flying cars, flying taxis, flying drones and autonomous aircraft that shuttle people and goods backwards and forwards, call them what you will but they’re literally starting to take off. Over the past couple of years, as interest in the space has gathered speed, there have been a number of first flights, for example, in Dubai and Germany, and companies like Aston Martin, Porsche, and Rolls Royce have even joined the party, showing off their own fantastic concepts. And then of course there’s the Audi-Airbus alliance, and now, about a year after first showing off their PopUp concept the first Airbus all-electric, four-seat multicopter demonstrator, CityAirbus, has made its first untethered flight in Donauwörth, Germany, at the company’s competence center for military air systems, according to Airbus.
Housed under Airbus Helicopters, the CityAirbus project, as well as the Vahana unmanned demonstrator, which completed flight testing last year, is part of Airbus’ efforts to explore and understand the fundamental technologies behind electric aircraft and the urban air mobility market, including distributed electric propulsion and autonomous flight.
Driven by eight propellers contained in four ducted propulsion units, CityAirbus is targeting a cruise speed of approximately 75 mph with capacity for four passengers, which Airbus calls “ideal for urban ridesharing.”
The CityAirbus demonstrator is intended to be remotely piloted, according to Airbus’ website, or flown autonomously for up to 15 minutes, though that capability hasn’t been added to the aircraft yet, according to the company.
As a multicopter concept somewhat similar to Volocopter’s VoloCity, CityAirbus likely will not be as efficient in forward flight as many other electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) concepts, such as two unveiled at the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show: Bell’s Nexus 4EX and Hyundai’s S-A1, both of which are part of Uber’s Elevate ecosystem, and unfortunately as a demonstrator program the CityAirbus project isn’t likely to enter production, but it’s a start and a sign of things to come and that’s what makes the project, and the demonstration so exciting.
What this means for your organisation
Incumbents are learning by flying.
Airbus uses demonstrators to understand electric propulsion and autonomy. It may not sell this aircraft, but it gains knowledge. Leaders should value pilots for learning, not just for products.
Design choices shape efficiency.
Multicopters are simple but less efficient in forward flight than other designs. Different concepts will suit different routes. Operators should match aircraft types to their likely journeys.
Ecosystems are forming.
Carmakers, aerospace firms and ride hailing platforms are all joining in. Partnerships will decide who wins. Transport and property firms should consider which alliances to join.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
- What would we learn from running a small air mobility pilot?
- Which routes in our region suit flying taxis?
- Which partners would we need in an air mobility ecosystem?
The trends and technologies behind this story
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s article and 311 data. First published on Fanatical Futurist.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
Traffic jams are synonymous with cars, and both are global issues, so companies are looking to the future and trying to reinvent travel and mobility.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, President and Futurist, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 17-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder, President and Futurist of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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Sources and further reading
- completed flight testing last year aviationtoday.com
- according to Airbus’ website airbus.com
- Bell’s Nexus 4EX aviationtoday.com
- Hyundai’s S-A1 aviationtoday.com
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 9 August 2020. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2020). Airbus show off their first flying taxi prototype as it takes to the skies. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/airbus-show-off-their-first-flying-taxi-prototype-as-it-takes-to-the-skies/
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