Today, self-piloting technologies are having a huge impact on mobility solutions—both on the ground and in the air. But the leap from automated to autonomous is still a work in progress.
From mobile phones to electric cars, batteries have transformed our lives. Yet much of their potential remains untapped. In China, the recently opened Airbus China Innovation Centre battery lab is looking to unleash this potential to power a new generation of electric-powered aerial vehicles.
The transition to electric propulsion is fully underway on a global scale, evidenced by the growing number of hybrid/electric cars and electric drones in the streets and in the skies. But how does electric propulsion – which uses electrical energy supplied by a battery pack or hydrogen fuel cell – compare to traditional, fossil fuel-powered thermal propulsion?
Watch this video to see how our electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle demonstrator, Vahana, successfully completes its full transition flight—an important next step in our journey to making urban air mobility a reality in the near future.
With the establishment of its new Urban Air Mobility unit, Airbus aims to lay the foundations for more efficient and sustainable city travel. To co-create an entire industry from scratch, it will develop cutting-edge technical solutions as well as engage a wide range of stakeholders to ensure maximum societal benefit.
To Rodin Lyasoff, the Chief Executive Officer of A³ – Airbus’ advanced projects outpost in Silicon Valley, California, USA – self-piloting air taxis will become a normal element of urban mobility in the coming years, marking “another golden age for aviation.”
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