An aviation facility called “Vertiport” would come up in Orlando to cater to the air taxi service. The area identified is Lake Nona, home to several medical and research facilities. There is the involvement of Lilium Aviation. This is a German company, and it would supply the hub with a fleet of vehicles. The capacity of each air taxi is five, and it would be the initial phase of establishing a transportation network covering the whole country. The Lilium air taxi can Travel up to 185 miles on a one-hour charge. It runs on electricity and is a pollution-free mode of travel that would benefit the environment.

This is in keeping with the need to promote an alternative to fossil fuels to contain the evils of global warming. Officials said those who want to book a ride could do so via phones. The procedure would be similar to that used by ride-share companies.

Daily Mail U.K. quotes City of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer saying – “For this new technology to reshape the transportation ecosystem and benefit Orlando residents long-term truly, it is going to take a true partnership between cities, developers and transportation operators.”

Each vehicle can carry four passengers and a pilot. The cost would be comparable to a first-class fare. This could reduce depending on various factors. One of these factors is popularity.

In June 2019, Uber said the launch of an air tax service by 2023 would revolutionize the city transportation system.

Advantages of air taxi

Air Taxi would be a convenient mode of commuting in cities. It would follow the aerial route like other airborne vehicles and offer quick point-to-point personal travel. The air taxi could make hassles at airports redundant and reduce traffic jams.

Before commercializing this novel system of travel, some issues would have to be resolved. These would include the size of batteries, clearance of air traffic control, etcetera. Daily Mail U.K. says work has started on obtaining approval of the appropriate agencies. That is the first step taken by the Lake Nona “Vertiport.” The project involves a major investment with the incentive of generating employment.

Air taxi has a bright future

Daily Mail U.K. mentions that the massive transportation hub would be operational within five years. Lilium indicates employees who work at the hub would earn attractive salaries, and the city of Orlando expects the facility to improve the economy for over ten years. Chris Castro, an official of the city, feels a hub of this nature would affect life quality. The German company Lilium Aviation conceived an air taxi in 2013 and officially displayed a working flying vehicle in 2019. In May 2019, Germany unveiled its flying taxi and indicated it would be operational within six years.

The city of Orlando, Florida, to be an air taxi hub

According to CNBC, a German company signed a deal with Orlando, Florida, to launch the first U.S.

transportation hub for its flying taxis. The company Lilium is from Munich, and it would create a “Vertiport” in Lake Nona. This is a planned futuristic smart city near the airport. The vision of the company is to have an air taxi network across various cities. Its taxis fall in the VTOL category – that means they can take off and land vertically. The vehicle is a five-seater all-electric jet, and it made its debut last year. Lilium plans to set up a transportation network in the United States to undertake commercial flights by 2025. There would also be “vertiports” at various locations to cater to the demands. The concept is innovative. Its success would mean rides that are more comfortable for the commuters and less traffic on the roads with less air pollution.
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