SOAR AHEAD
Flying taxi hits 100km/h speeds during test flights of five-seater prototype
The company behind the aircraft claims it's safer and more affordable than other planes
TEST flights of a highly anticipated ‘flying taxi’ service have shown how the plane can reach 100 kilometres per hour speeds.
The electric jet-powered aircraft has five seats and could ferry people across cities for around the same amount as an on-ground taxi.
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German company Lilium said that it was taking its testing to the "next level".
The firm started in 2015 and has received £81million of investment so far.
It hopes to offer 'Uber-style' taxis that customers will order through an app by 2025.
The plane has room for one pilot and four passengers.
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Lilium is claiming that it is more safe and affordable than other planes due to its simple design.
The aircraft has 36 electric jet engines enabling it to take off vertically and when it's in the air it only need a similar amount of energy as an electric car to cruise along.
Daniel Wiegand, co-founder and chief executive, said: “We are taking another huge step towards making urban air mobility a reality.
"The Lilium Jet itself is beautiful and we were thrilled to see it take to the skies for the first time.”
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Lililum is now seeking certification for its invention by conducting lots of safety tests.
Wiegand said that the company is trying to meet societies demands for quieter and more environmentally friendly air travel.
The Lilium Jet is said to make 20% of the noise of a helicopter and would work more like a public transport system than literally landing in everyone's front gardens.
Morgan Stanley has estimated that the flying taxi market could be worth $1.5trillion(£1.1trillion) by 2040.
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In other news, Uber has decided to help out anyone who hates small talk by providing a new “Quiet Mode” feature for its app.
Last year, Uber was valued to be worth $120billion by experts.
More recently, the company has been working hard to improve its safety and even created tech that could detect car crashes.
Would you like to travel in a flying taxi? Let us know in the comments...
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