More than half a dozen European firms have announced
developments of Urban Air Mobility vehicles for passenger use or for unmanned
cargo sorties such as delivering medical supplies.
"I believe that commercial use of (air) taxis can start
to take place in 2024 or 2025," Patrick Ky, executive director of the
European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) said.
EASA cited figures suggesting a 4.2-billion-euro UAM market
in Europe by 2030, creating 90,000 jobs. Some 31% of the global market for the
new technology would be based in Europe.
EASA has already started the process of certifying some of
the designs and expects first approvals for the lightweight machines by around
2024, Ky told reporters.
German startup Volocopter and backers of other projects such
as Aeroports de Paris hope to demonstrate the technology in time for the Paris
Olympics in 2024.
How quickly such vehicles enter service will also depend on
operational approvals examining whether they are flying over urban centres or
potential hazards such as railways, Ky said.
EASA is focusing on projects involving piloted vehicles for
passengers and unpiloted drones for cargo deliveries. Fully autonomous vehicles
are still some years away, Ky said.
Ky was speaking as the Cologne-based agency released a study
showing broad public support for such electrically powered vehicles, capable of
taking off and landing vertically.
Some 71% of people surveyed in six urban areas expressed
interest in using air taxis or delivery services or both, and the largest category
of those surveyed - 41% - said emergency medical activities would be most
beneficial.
Safety was the chief concern for both drones and taxis, as
well as noise, particularly in the case of passenger vehicles.
A majority of people polled by EASA also expressed concerns about the impact on birds or insects, while cybersecurity was high on the list of potential worries, especially for drones.
-Reuters