CLOCKWISEFROMTOPLEFT:COURTESYEHANG;COURTESYVOLOCOPTER; COURTESY FLY ASTRO;COURTESYLILIUM;COURTESYWORKHORSE;COURTESYKITTYHAWKBloomberg Businessweek | Sooner Than You ThinkMore than a half-
dozen companies have
flown autonomous or
semiautonomous electricaircraft that can take off
vertically from almostanywhere, and the first
commercial modelsare scheduled to hit
the market next yearBy Richard Weiss and Stefan Nicola
ROBO
TAXIS:
READY
FOR
TAKEOFF
Bloomberg Businessweek(USPS 080 900) June 10, 2019 (ISSN 0007-7135) S Issue no. 4617 Published weekly, except one week in February, April, June, July, September, and two weeks in December by Bloomberg L.P. Periodicalspostage paid at New York, N.Y., and at additional mailing offices. Executive, Editorial, Circulation, and Advertising Offices:Bloomberg Businessweek, 731 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10022. POSTMASTER: Send addresschanges to Bloomberg Businessweek, P.O. Box 37528, Boone, IA 50037-0528. Canada Post Publication Mail Agreement Number 41989020. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to DHL Global Mail, 355 Admiral Blvd., Unit 4,
Mississauga, ON L5T 2N1. Email: [email protected]. QST#1008327064. Registered for GST as Bloomberg L.P. GST #128299898 RT0001. Copyright 2019 Bloomberg L.P. All rights reserved. Title registered inthe U.S. Patent Office. Single Copy Sales: Call 800 298-9867 or email: [email protected]. Educational Permissions: Copyright Clearance Center at [email protected]. Printed in the U.S.A. CPPAP NUMBER 0414N68830Workhorse SureFly
Workhorse Group Inc., U.S.
First flight: 2018
Range: 225 miles, 2.5 hours
Capacity: 2 passengers, 550 pounds
This hybrid can fly longer than rivals because
its gasoline engine recharges the batteries.
The SureFly, with folding arms for parking in a
garage, will cost less than $200,000. Workhorse,
a maker of electric trucks and delivery drones,
says a remote-control model is in the works,
but the current version requires a pilot.Volocopter 2X
Volocopter GmbH, Germany
First flight: 2016
Range: 17 miles, 27 minutes
Capacity: 2 passengers, 350 pounds
Backed by automaker Daimler AG, the Volocopter
features 18 rotors, nine batteries, and a
parachute. With a top speed of 62 mph, it’s
intended for short journeys such as airport runs.
The company this year will open a “Voloport”
in Singapore for public test flights and expects
commercial service as early as 2021.EHang 216
EHang Air Mobility Group, China
First flight: 2014
Range: 22 miles, 25 minutes
Capacity: 2 passengers, 570 pounds
Poised to be the first to market, the vehicle is
guided via a connection between a passenger’s
smartphone and the company’s command
center. EHang says it will start selling the
$300,000 aircraft next year and anticipates
strong demand from emergency responders,
air taxi services, and operators of tourist flights.Kitty Hawk Cora
Kitty Hawk Corp., U.S.
First flight: 2017
Range: 62 miles, 30 minutes
Capacity: 2 passengers, 570 pounds
The Cora has completed more than 700 test
flights, mostly in New Zealand. Backed by
Google co-founder Larry Page, the drone
can fly as fast as 110 mph thanks to
12 independent lift fans on the wings.
The company expects airlines and rideshare-
like services to use the vehicle.Lilium Jet
Lilium GmbH, Germany
First flight: 2019
Range: 186 miles, 60 minutes
Capacity: 4-5 passengers
The electric air taxi, powered by 36 jet engines
that swivel after takeoff so it flies like a
fixed-wing plane, uses 90% less energy than
helicopter-like drones, giving it enough range to
fly from New York to Boston. Lilium says a ride
from Manhattan to the city’s airports would cost
about $70 per passenger.Astro Elroy
Astro Aerospace Ltd., U.S.
First flight: 2017
Range: 19 miles, 25 minutes
Capacity: 1 passenger, 260 pounds
Small enough to squeeze into most garages,
the single-seater has 16 independent rotors
and a carbon-fiber body for short autonomous
or self-piloted hops. The company aims to sell
the Elroy to public and private customers for
commuting, taxi service, deliveries, and even
military missions.72