The World's FIRST Vertical Airport for Flying Cars!

[@GreenJimll]

Just to note that if you have to go there and spend 20 or 30 minutes queuing for coffee/getting weighed/going through security scanners/waiting for an eVTOL pod and it then takes 30 minutes to get from Coventry to London, that's about the same time as it takes on the train from Coventry station next door to London Euston (57 minutes for 07:54 Avanti West Coast service tomorrow morning for example). And I suspect the train service has a bit higher capacity too.

[@nickflynn666]

True, hard to compete with a direct high speed train line. But I think it would be a good thing anyway. Might stop the rail companies putting up the price of tickets if they had some competition other than a slow car journey. The real benefit for ordinary travelers would be on routes where there isn't a direct rail line. It could then act as an alternative to car travel.

[@DavidKnowles0]

But you are then in Euston and have to travel to the office. This potentially could drop you off straight at the office in Stratford in 20 minutes.

[@hammedhaaret]

The price of establishing rail though. And then the flexibility this has. Could take you most anywhere in range.

[@grahamstevenson1740]

BUT that's a fantasy. it's not REAL !it's IMAGINARY. My calculations show that 30 minutes airborne is near IMPOSSIBLE.

[@Klackala]

should fully charged be more critical in their shows, in your opinion? bringing up both the good and bad in shows like these, i mean

[@aerynp6018]

I used to work as a test pilot for one of the drone manufacturers featured here. Based on that experience, I would say that right now this is a terrible idea. The company I worked for had a shocking attitude to aviation safety and build quality of the aircraft. Uncommanded payload drops, control system burning out and high street store bought components being used in 'military grade' Drones are just some of the examples of the poor practice I witnessed. The caa needs to keep these drone builders on a very short leash before any of the wild ideas proposed in the video become a reality.

[@grahamstevenson1740]

Not entirely surprised. These companies seem to be run by aviation amateurs/newbies with zero experience of safety/stability of flight issues and a casual disregard for many engineering fundamentals with an equally idiotic belief in their 'rightness'. I'd expect any air vehicle they produce to be a death trap.

[@Strawberryknight]

It is fine to use drone to drop bombs (as they are meant to be dropped), but carrying people is facing completely different types of risks.

[@seriouscybernetics]

@@Strawberryknight It is definitely not fine to drop bombs uncommanded! That's a guaranteed way to get civilians and/or your own people injured and killed.

[@jurchiks]

@@Strawberryknight so long as those bombs aren't accidentally dropped on allies...

[@gregchristie2763]

@@Strawberryknight can't quite believe what you're saying its ok to kill humans with bombs but if they are passengers its not.

[@dougzirkle5951]

Wonderfully done, Ms Pierce! Thank you!

[@Strawberryknight]

The whole conversation avoids comparing vtol drone with helicopter. Their talk takes place as if helicopter never exists.

[@Poetjanstie]

Are there any Electric (i.e. non-fossil fuelled) helicopters?

[@Dudleymiddleton]

10 - 15 years ago drones and quadcopters weren't much more than RC models or toys, but quickly developing into surveillance tools and further leaps and bounds in motor and battery technology have got us to here! Thank you for sharing, and love your flared jeans, Imogen!

[@SMGJohn]

Drones and quadcopters has been a dream of engineers for centuries, the quest to shrink engine power units smaller and smaller but increasing outputs has been a goal ever since WW1. The fact we can get so much power and so much energy density into small drones and quadcopters today is crazy, the only thing holding us back is battery capacity, once thats figured out, you will see these things grow larger and grow in numbers, this is the future, the only question is unless we find different means to manufacture our batteries, we are gonna run in a very big problem eventually, such as lack of lithium.

[@jgcondron]

Battery capacity is figured out. It's pretty much as good as it is going to get.

[@DavidKnowles0]

@@jgcondron Not really, some lab base air lithium batteries have densities close to that of petrol and diesel, how they come with flaws that are hard to very hard to solve but might not be impossible. Even Lithium batteries have yet to meet their theoretically energy density limits.

[@grahamstevenson1740]

@@jgcondron And it's certainly not good enough for this.

[@grahamstevenson1740]

@@DavidKnowles0 Rubbish. That is fanciful daydreaming. THINK ! Use your brain ! Most of a battery isn't even the active ingredients, Just look at the internal construction of one. I have. Nothing inside a battery approaches the energy of a C-H or H-C-H bond nor can it ever do.

[@thinktoomuchb4028]

Please cover Exergyn’s shape memory alloy heat pump technology. Awesome channel! Thank you.

[@dustinmcdowell848]

So now you have to wait in airport security to travel 50 miles? Ya the line is short before it opens, but how is this supposed to scale? Pod style transports are highly inefficient so you would need a lot of them. So then what? Let's say security and loading is 30 minutes. With travel time is it really faster than traveling by light rail or bus? Like all these pod style transports like Hyperloop or boring tunnel it is about rich people trying to avoid being in the same place with others of different class. Let's not even mention the noise of 1000s of these being needed to even make a dent in ground transport. There is an assumption that new technology is enviable. This is a myth. We make choices and to me, this is a no go.

[@mentality-monster]

100% agree Dustin!

[@Poetjanstie]

All technology had to be developed, Dustin McDowell. It had to go through testing and improvement and scaling and approval. Above all you should not lose sight of the fact that this channel, The Fully Charged Show, has as its central mission the goal to promote the means of ridding the world of modes of transport that burn fossil fuel! So if you had been around when powered flight was first proposed, would you have written it off before it got off the ground?

[@waynethefridgemanosborne8984]

I think this would do very well here in Australia , supply's and evacuations during floods or fires . keep smiling everyone

[@marc0523]

This will be luxury transport or transport for rarely used routes. This would allow people in villages to travel to cities without taking a car, which will help those cities from being gridlocked. But the above is a unique use case, not many potential customers, or there would be functional buses already. Package delivery, last mile delivery, and disaster delivery will be the main use for this.

[@grahamstevenson1740]

It's pure fantasy nonsense actually. And would be insanely expensive too with a probable limitation on flight duration between 10 and 20 minutes. Then you have to recharge the thing too ! I've run the sums. Shame that the idiot 'developers' can't ! Note that not a single company can show a working full-scale example.

[@ForeverNeverwhere1]

@@grahamstevenson1740 there are genuine uses, and it is something we will see more off as time goes by, but what was stated in this video is pure and utter fantasy drivel. Passenger multi rotors are noisy, short range and while cheaper than a helicopter, still bloody expensive to actually run compared to say, well anything at all. Last mile delivery is a feasible technology, but not for everyone due to landing limitations and the skies would get clogged even doing 1% of Amazon deliveries. Better off launching from the roof of their own distribution depot that paying a secondary company. I can see it used in rural environs where every house is 10 miles apart. And all will suffer from noise pollution complaints in urban environs.

[@grahamstevenson1740]

@@ForeverNeverwhere1 Certainly the noise pollution would be deafening. Amazon have dropped the concept btw. it was near idiotic from the start ! Nowhere realistically to land you see. You can hardly drop the delivery on their heads either !

[@gduncan8012]

“We don’t need more pointless toys for rich people”? That’s pretty much what the Fully Charged Show is now, - a showcase for non-achievable electric luxury.

[@John.0z]

The first use I can see for a eVTOL would be as an ambulance. I live under a common helicopter ambulance flight path, and reducing the late night noise from such flights would be a good step forward. I would imagine that everyone who lives near a heliport-equipped hospital would agree. To me, that is a far wider benefit use than as an air taxi.

[@Strawberryknight]

I totally disagree. It took decades to convince hospitals and healthcare industry about the benefits of using helicopter for rescue and medical emergency. And helicopter technology is proven safe, and has much bigger passenger capacity for medical team. And you want to send a drone which has high probability of crashing. Dropping off medical supply is fine, but not for picking up patients. Also, tell me why you think drone is more quiet than helicopter, as drone has 4 rotors and helicopter has 1 rotor. Electric helicopter makes better sense if caring about zero emission.

[@SMGJohn]

@@Strawberryknight He is talking about eVTOL, the hell did you get the idea of him talking about drones? LOL An eVTOL would be significantly quicker to launch, quicker and easier to manoeuvre and the fact its electric means it can be driven off generators or solar panels which means its a lot more reliable in areas in which fuel is not a luxury. eVTOL are also more compact and can carry more for their weight as there is no need for a large rotor nor a tail rotor and overall once battery capacity doubles, they will have much greater range than a regular heli.

[@CockpitScenes]

@@Strawberryknight All Helicopters have two rotors. The number of rotors has nothing to do with the noise level - only the aerodynamics does.

[@grahamstevenson1740]

Why would using electric propulsion make it any quieter ? Imagine today's drones but 30dB louder, like a swarm of huge monster bees.

[@t1n4444]

@@SMGJohn Do try to keep up.

[@timmurphy5541]

It was interesting and well presented but I do groan a bit when I hear the words "in Africa...." And "disaster relief" used about any technology. I'm from Africa and the objective there is to buy things that have been extensively tested in the first world if possible and have sold in enough volume to become as cheap as they can be. Africa is the end of the long tail.

[@grahamstevenson1740]

Exactly. Africa needs low energy use, affordable, reliability and 'it works'. There are no electricity grids in the wilds of Africa to recharge energy hungry electric air vehicles. You can't store electrons in 'Jerry cans' either !

[@timmurphy5541]

@@grahamstevenson1740 There are some very big cities but if the west finds "infrastructure" difficult then in Africa it is more so. Distances are huge and the number of people rich enough to fly short hops vertically is really quite small. There are 100 problems to solve before the kind solved by e-vtols. We know that drones are another story so I see them being popular but from an entirely conventional building with locally available materials.

[@grahamstevenson1740]

@@timmurphy5541 I completely understand and find this absurd obsession with fantasy 'future tech' for the wealthy few nearly obscene. The economics of small drones that can be used to transport small quantities of important resources e.g. medicines is so far removed from a person carrying 'e-VTOL' that it begs belief.

[@t1n4444]

@@grahamstevenson1740 😂😂😂😂 Not quite true ... now, I have I mentioned Hydrogen gas for storing energy? You might consider Googling up Toyota's hydrogen gas cartridges ... nice promo ad' to gaze at.

[@grahamstevenson1740]

@@t1n4444 I'm entirely familiar with the use of hydrogen gas as an energy store, It's possible to use it in an ICE directly or in a fuel cell as a source of electricity. It's NOT a 'battery' though. What was the point you were suggesting ?

[@ForeverNeverwhere1]

If you find someone saying it is not for just rich people, you know it is for rich people.

[@mentality-monster]

First though that came to my mind. Will be great for rich people. Then once the masses are able to afford one, the queues for landing and taking off will make the whole endeavour pointless.

[@rushdHBTS]

Has this Project been evaluated in comparison to existing different urban Transport system including all types of Metro systems? Economically competitive?

[@jgcondron]

It's complete unsustainable nonsense.

[@theq68]

Let's move the ground instead of just the people, this is a complete gimmick.

[@asdaneedsfunds]

Totally uncompetitive on capacity grounds for mass transit. Any and all "benefits" won't be realised in moving people.

[@DavidKnowles0]

It will be competitive but probably more in places that aren't connected by rail or cars, so think the highland islands or the outer Hebrides. Also it will be competitive in the sense of taxis are competitive in cities compare to buses.

[@RobertMayfair]

EVTOLs and even drones to an extent are solutions looking for problems. Rail will always be the most efficient way of getting around a city. Electric flights begin to make sense at the regional level, but rail is still hard to beat there as well.

[@jjj32801]

Imogen, excellent questions. You have a great future in New Media.

[@objection_your_honor]

Reliability data comes with passage of time and revisions. This technology is new and has to be considered unreliable until time proves them to be safe.

[@StarBoundFables]

Imogen did a fantastic job showcasing this awesome Vertiport! 😃 I live on an island & personally think eVTOLs are amazing 🏝 It's only ~30Km across the water to the city of Vancouver, but the ferry boat journey is 1 & 3/4 hours long (not including the travel to and from the ferry terminal or potentially missing a sailing.) eVTOLs could be a genuinely game-changing, sustainable approach for getting folks between different islands and the mainland. Thank you, Fully Charged & bravo Urban Airport 🙏🏽

[@CockpitScenes]

Dream on...

[@DavidKnowles0]

@@CockpitScenes It those who dream that change the world.

[@THEmickTHEgun]

The technology is here, it’s just a matter of waiting for government approvals, etc.

[@grahamstevenson1740]

@@DavidKnowles0 No they often are seen to be the snake oil salesmen they are. I suggest you views some videos by Thunderf00t or Adam Something. Reality soon catches up. You can dream to your heart's content but dreams aren't REAL.

[@mentality-monster]

@@DavidKnowles0 Hhmm, mostly for the worse. Most of the big dreamers dream of taking control of the entire thing and murder their way to the top. It's actually the hard work of the normal people on the bottom rung that make change in the world. Then some CEO or vulture capitalist comes along and takes all the credit for their work.

[@MrJames_1]

A general comment about intros to all vids. (NOT a complaint) Robert had it down pat IMO when he did the trifecta intro, something like "That is an airport, I'm Robert Llewellyn, and this is Fully Charged". It's cool. Some of the presenters seem like they are only just giving it a thought as they try to say the intro. Again, NOT a complaint. This show is so well produced I can't understand why it's not on TV. 📺⁉😀

[@fullychargedshow]

Understood. Thank you for your feedback.

[@jonathantaylor1998]

Is it just me (that's rhetorical, by the way...!) but I just can't see the benefit of having to have the EVTOL craft lifted up from the base to the roofline... Yes, it's all very dramatic and "Thunderbirds", but why bother...? Why not just save a wad of construction costs and have them take off from a large open space - like an unused car park... If it's just for a "keep-you-out-of-the-rain" type reason, then I'm sure a deployable / retractable covered walkway would be WAY more cost effective. Just don't get it... 🤔

[@NR-rv8rz]

Why does a VTOL drone/taxi need a platform to raise it five or ten metres. It's a VTOL.

[@Hyfly13]

Should you really be able to patent a takeoff platform that has been on kids Saturday morning TV since decades ago?

[@grahamstevenson1740]

Of course not. More delusional thinking. You can't patent a concept in the first place.

[@SchnoogansMcDuff]

There is no way I would ever fly in an eVTOL. This technology will never be adapted anywhere other than extremely affluent major cities. And even then I couldn't imagine this being more useful than the current helicopter, train and road networks in said cities. That said, it's Interesting to see what rich people are willing to piss their money away on rather than something that would actually help humanity.

[@dustinmcdowell848]

We tried this before in the 70s. People died and it failed. Sad to see this over more subways and and busses.

[@SchnoogansMcDuff]

Right!? Instead of faster rail services and reliable public transport this is what we get. Single serving death traps.

[@dustinmcdowell848]

@@SchnoogansMcDuff Ya, it's a grift. Just like Hyperloop. We have the best solutions to our problems but it isn't glamorous, futuristic, or exciting. These are a distraction, and expensive ones at that.

[@mentality-monster]

Indeed. The Tories will love this sort of individualised transportation system though. Much easier to divide and conquer the workforce when they're all in individual pods, atomised away from one another.

[@maxpesh]

I think that this is actually the reason for self driving. When the flying/driving lanes are in 3D instead of 2D roads, self driving tech comes into it's own realm. Battery tech reaches 500w/kg and the possibilities are endless. Roads suddenly become useless. 3D virtual roads in the sky operated by A.I. No more accidents and crashes. Nirvana 😃😃

[@pebh]

I can't understand the need for a complex and energy spender elevating platform. Why can't it be on the ground?? 🤨

[@patrickmckowen2999]

eVTOL is going to be huge. But not until the next evolution of batteries. Cheers

[@DavidKnowles0]

current battery tech can provide 30 to 45 minute flight times, see Robert video on the electric aeroplane he flew in. That amount of time would get you to most places in the UK I imagine.

[@grahamstevenson1740]

I suggest you learn something about electro-chemistry. We're already using the best materials. Even DOUBLING the energy density of lithium-ion batteries would be a miracle ! 50% more, maybe in some decades.

[@SuicideNeil]

@@DavidKnowles0 You think you can get from one end of the UK to the other in 30-45 minutes? Land's end to John o'Groats is 874 miles, meaning you'd need to be flying at 1200-1600mph. You might want to have a rethink...

[@wilsonfamily1762]

what a really interesting and informative video clarifying the state of this industry

[@jparmy6803]

Surely we should get the aircraft working and prove to the world that they are a good idea first.

[@DavidKnowles0]

Royal mail is already using drones for deliveries,

[@Don_P]

Whats great about evtol is that it doesn’t need a circus tent

[@Don_P]

That helicopter might need an airport though

[@Cloxxki]

Imagine selling your house if their is a new super loud eVTOL place down the block.

[@rcollinge325]

These drones are alot quieter and quicker than conventional planes. They can go from start to bring gone in one minute.

[@grahamstevenson1740]

@@rcollinge325 HOW are they quieter ? Because some clown said so ? Learn to THINK for yourself before believing fantasy drivel. NONE exist at present to compare. It might be a good idea to check that ! I'll bet they produce > 100dB near the ground.

[@cptobvious8428]

Agree with other comments regarding reservations about this company and claimed patented process. How can you patent a tent? Everything else is drone operator specific and existing tech. As well all operation and control functions can and are done remotely, one of the inherent advantages of drones.

[@rafeller9057]

Wait a minute, how do you get to this urban airport where you queue up and wait and go traveling for a short distance (ev-tol range)?

[@XPLAlN]

...it is perfect for anyone who wants to get across London by tube, and take the opportunity to get weighed, have a coffee, and enjoy a short expensive sightseeing hop in the middle.

[@canozmen9527]

The Bell XV-15 is an American tiltrotor VTOL aircraft. It was the second successful experimental tiltrotor aircraft and the first to demonstrate the concept's high speed performance relative to conventional helicopters and did first flight on 3 May 1977. The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey is an American multi-mission, tiltrotor military aircraft with both vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) and short takeoff and landing (STOL) capabilities. It is designed to combine the functionality of a conventional helicopter with the long-range, high-speed cruise performance of a turboprop aircraft and did the first flight on 19 March 1989. The AgustaWestland (now Leonardo) AW609, formerly the Bell/Agusta BA609, is a twin-engined tiltrotor VTOL aircraft with a configuration similar to that of the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey. It is capable of landing vertically like a helicopter while having a range and speed in excess of conventional rotorcraft. The AW609 is aimed at the civil aviation market, in particular VIP customers and offshore oil and gas operators and did the first flight on 7 March 2003.

[@knowledgebyte]

Very early days. As a pilot, I’d say more than ten years in the UK. In places like Dubai, yes, more like five years. What will be the kicker is the virtual airspace management and collision avoidance and recovery systems. I see partnership with people already in the drone space who have very advanced systems already in use, helping the acceleration of urban-air-mobility.

[@EleanorPeterson]

It's another solution desperately seeking a problem to solve.🙄

[@ianjco60]

Bypassing central hub Airports. 😁 Opening up markets for regional airports. 😀

[@intelatomtm]

It’s a tent

[@GudieveNing]

Yup, lol.

[@GrahamRead101]

Yes, along with the software and infrastructure to provide a vtol service. Bit like a mess tent “is just a tent” but it’s the chefs and equipment that make it a kitchen; or a field hospital “is just a tent”.

[@petesplaneta9340]

Fascinating!

[@jeangreenfield5993]

Great presenter 🙂👍 and info 💚

[@MrGMawson2438]

Beautiful

[@xehaytecle932]

Accessible thanks 👍🙏

[@imogen1]

Wow you actually managed to make this seem less cool than it sounds. Wild to hear how divergent from reality all the rich people buzzwords are becoming.

[@randledmadden]

As a viewer and subscriber from the very beginning of this channel I've always thought this company does many things very right. And one of those things is the recognition of talent. Jack and Imogen and truly top shelf presenters and they make each episode better as a result. As always, well done Fully Charged Show. And I can't wait to see you in September!

[@gailjackson]

Very exciting.

[@onlineo2263]

Very strange. Presumably urban airport wants to sell this concept to someone? Can't think of another reason for this millennium dome for the future of flying has been built as there must currently be absolutely no business case for this in Coventry.

[@DavidKnowles0]

They are base in Coventry and so they built their prototype where they are base in Coventry. As to whether they can turn this into a successful business, time will tell.

[@frozenyogurtist]

Great idea :)

[@grahamstevenson1740]

Fabulously STUPID actually. Popularity doesn't make it feasible !

[@W1NDUP25]

Great to See everything being powered by AFC Energy's Power Tower 👍👍

[@bombo139]

Here in norway we have had airports for flying cars since the 60s we just call them heliports. its a tiny building next to some helipads and in bigger citys its at the unused part of the runway.

[@jamesengland7461]

This guy claims farmers want to haul their crops to the city via helicopter? Science fiction.

[@craigrobinson1234567]

Lol... That'd be like using a horse 😂

[@MarkusLinnala]

Price of potatoes for farmers here are around 170€ / 1000kg during crop seasion and really good potato field can produce maybe 25000kg of potatoes. Truck transfer might cost around 10€ / 1000kg / 100km. If this is cheaper and can easily transfer thousands of kg, then why not. But IDK. Some produce can have quite high price compared to crop season potato (crash crops and produce) . They can have also low shelf life and shaving hours or days from delivery time does have value. And maybe they also are mostly used in higher end restaurants or sold in higher end markets and when they are fresh there certainly is premium to had. So this might work if you need to transfer couple of hundred kg per day every day during searson, but no more. And also have some kind of handicap with road infrastructure.

[@asdaneedsfunds]

The only farmers interested are ones who want to have a quick look at their sheep without getting out of bed...

[@grahamstevenson1740]

Too FUNNY !

[@craigrobinson1234567]

@@asdaneedsfunds unless they're Welsh because the sheep are in the bed 😂

[@eeerrraaannn]

Just to make sure, this is not sponsored right?

[@cosmodoc]

I would be very excited to be alive to see this happening when it does! Also such a smart and lovely presenter!

[@XPLAlN]

This is absurd. For a start there are no flying cars in service, not a single one, and there is next to zero probability that anything will be certified for commercial pax operations over cities in the next 10 years. Then, how does this beat the existing transport infrastructure, bus train and taxi, in a place like London? Oh yeah - you get weighed and can grab a coffee while you wait for your expensive short hop. FFS.

[@garyvermaak9470]

Urbanair-Port may be a bit too fancy for relief and humanitarian operations, compared to the portable metal runways and helipads the military have been using since WW2. eVTOLs require a solar and battery storage installation, but could be a good option instead of helicopters and aviation fuel supplies.

[@garyvermaak9470]

PS. The first vertiport was the Dallas CBD Vertiport in 1994, which was designed for tilt-rotor VTOLs like the V-22 Osprey.

[@alansmith101]

Great reporting and video, Imogen!

[@mikemellor759]

Fascinating episode, really well presented by Imogen - complemented the air mobility stand at Fully Charged Live, Farnborough. Please keep us updated on developments. Thanks 🙏

[@patrickjr11]

given how difficult current flying technology is to transition over to a green and sustainable system, perhaps it is time to rethink the entire thing. it's facinating to see what new ideas are coming forward. and they look very cool too. it's possible that this transport mode is going to have root and branch redesign. excellent presentation too.

[@snowstrobe]

People might WANT to move around quickly, but perhaps we need to ask if we actually need to...

[@kenndo9906]

Loved flying quadcopters for years.... none of this stuff is new apart from the people carrying stuff. CAA has damaged the hobby. Using the label Drone will hold this stuff back.

[@grejen711]

An oft missed point. "Drone" is a terrible term for a quadcopter but here we have it.

[@DavidKnowles0]

@@grejen711 But probably not for the end goal of this project with is fully automated vehicles taking people from location a to location b.

[@robinbrownsell]

Imogen's video for Fully Charged on Coventry's Urban Air Port was an excellent piece of work that correctly identified all the key features , fairly emphasised the current state of the sector, and nicely identified the immediate opportunities

[@glanciaeltro1271]

If I don't need to pass security on a Bus or Train service, why would you for eVTOL? Particularly if autonomous.

[@danearl8607]

Without a pilot or any controls assuming it is flown by GPS drone then security wouldn't be needed. The main use could be flying buses for humans between cities.

[@GuyverGamingTV]

This is a great idea and when the tech is more advanced and is capable of carrying more people, more weight, for further distance they will replace the helicopter which atm is used a lot in urban flying and other areas of aviation.

[@grahamstevenson1740]

And just how will it 'replace the helicopter' a proven air vehicle that actually works ? THINK !

[@GuyverGamingTV]

@@grahamstevenson1740 because in the future this will me more cost effective. Among other things, bout time you tried thinking before jumping telling someone else to think. Everything will eventually be replaced for more cost effective equipment. Less moving parts, cheaper to service, cheaper to fuel, quieter etc. Always look to the future, never get stuck In the past.

[@grahamstevenson1740]

@@GuyverGamingTV Sorry kid, but 'the future' DOES NOT mean everything gets better/easier. Technology is ONLY *applied science* and it can't do things that are unscientific (which is what you're asking for) or literally IMPOSSIBLE ! The rules of aeronautical engineering apply to all flying objects. I suggest you learn some of them. Keeping a heavier than air vehicle aloft takes STUPENDOUS amounts of power/lift. It's kinda crazy actually. A modern large airliner's engines are generating around 60 MEGAWATTS of power at take-off. You don't get 60 MEGAWATTS from some fooking BATTERIES, no matter how 'high tech' they are ! As for the idea that technology is ever advancing, as i said, it can't do the ruddy IMPOSSIBLE. Yet that is what you are suggesting as a result of your IGNORANCE. If you want to speak authoritatively about SCIENTIFIC MATTERS, I suggest YOU LEARNN SOME SCIENCE FIRST ! You certainly KNOW NOTHING at present.

[@benpaynter]

It's going to be a very interesting sector which should really take off (pardon the pun) once manufacturers start getting approvals to fly with passengers and cargo. I feel a bit sceptical about the business case for building airports for drones in third world countries when they can just use any flat piece of land, however in the developed world there will definitely be a place for them.

[@RWBHere]

It might not save any time for those short journeys. By the time you're booked in, and through security, you could walk that distance.

[@Newlyfound]

Drove past this yesterday...already mostly dismantled

[@objection_your_honor]

I have no problem using them for medical emergency transport or as a wartime weapon, but that's it.

[@DavidKnowles0]

well you are bit to late, they are already being use by the Royal mail every day to deliver parcels.

[@grahamstevenson1740]

@@DavidKnowles0 WHAT ? In your dreams ! Even Amazon have give up on that idea.

[@objection_your_honor]

@@DavidKnowles0 They have their own dedicated air postal routes. It's out in the country where the sheep are. Not door delivery. Same as what Alaskans do with mail for hard to get to places using bush pilots, but with a robot twin engine plane and not some dinky quadcopter. I very much doubt they fly over populated areas. If it crashes into someone's house or kills someone once, kiss the program goodbye.

[@xehaytecle932]

Great luck

[@briankuhl9314]

I though the ideas in this episode were more important than the tech. Will an urban airport be "the" solution? Will it look anything like this one? I don't know, but I'm a bit sceptical when the first eVTOL service has yet to launch. Drones .. there going to be at warehouses being loaded and dropping things off where needed, they don't really need a coffee shop. But yes, the ideas are not that wild, they are the future. Just as Africa skipped the landline, and went directly to the Cell phone, they will probably skip UPS Vans and go directly to drones.

[@KrisRogos]

I see 2 big issues with this: - as a humanitarian relief/delivery to sparsely populated or undeveloped areas the problem is that by definition these areas will be far away from functioning infrastructure, thus range and ability to re-charge are big worries because every 100kg more of battery is 100kg less of those critical supplies. - as a mode of transport within or in-between urban areas it seems incredibly inefficient, the extra weight, cost of martial and cost of the energy necessary to lift people safely in the air compared to an e-bike, EV-car, tram, metro or a train seems wasteful. The only metric it could do better in is speed, but only for as long as there is no congestion in the air (cause no you can't go infinitely higher and the higher you go the bigger the time delay between takeoff and landing). This means that practically speaking it will only be used as emergency response or luxury transport for the rich...

[@KrisRogos]

@Rob The problem is with things like this they can just about paddle upstream and survive when they really shouldn't. I'm sure they'll end up getting various grants or tax breaks as well as have overpriced shares and sell t-shirts for $30+ to the regular people who want to believe in the "flying eco-friendly car" future, but in reality, 90% of people using them will be CEOs, celebrities or politicians cause the tickets will be $100s per mile and it would never be possible for this tech to not be 10X the price of a road-going taxi or 100X the price of public transport.

[@grahamstevenson1740]

@Rob Elon is a fooking idiot fantasist. Boring expensive tunnels is an absurdity, Also, tunnels only ever go to one destination They're a fantasy obsession of limited value.. Oh and lighter than air vehicles have terribly limited payload from basic concept. Think 20 tons for the very largest ever. A 747 in comparison can carry over 100 tons 15 times faster.

[@222INFINITY]

When this comes to fruition, it won't be anything like these Vertiports, also 95% of the craft will be 1+2 seaters.

[@bentp4891]

It will be for the elites. Not for the likes of normal working class people.

[@SMGJohn]

With the next generation of battery with increased capacity, we will start seeing a large transformation of vehicle and airplanes in the first world countries as they cut reliance on OIL and gas to power their machineries.

[@grahamstevenson1740]

Battery capacity cannot continue to increase by just 'clicking your fingers'. I've been studying the matter for several years and we're up against fundamental materials and construction limits. We may never even see a doubling of energy density. 50% better would be a miracle.

[@SMGJohn]

@@grahamstevenson1740 You been "studying" massive doubt on that, considering you assume battery technology 50 years from now still use the same compositions and construction method as now.

[@grahamstevenson1740]

@@SMGJohn The passage of time is unimportant. Lead-acid batteries date into the 1800s yet we use them today too, centuries later ! Maybe there's a reason for that ? A lack of better materials for the task perhaps ? 'Future tech' cannot deliver the impossible, Technology is just a branch of materials science in this respect. I suggest you too study science in depth so you can understand electro-chemistry instead of being seduced by impossible fantasies. It's not at all a case of the 'future technology' delivering what's impossible 'today. It has to be possible at all and SCIENCE is king. The final arbiter. Endless improvements are not scientifically possible ! THE END !

[@SMGJohn]

@@grahamstevenson1740 Lead acid batteries of 19th century are VERY different from lead acid batteries today LOL You assume battery technology is stagnant, which just goes to show you have not been following the progress made past 10 years. Just because there is radioactive batteries that can power cars for decades, does not mean they are economical nor sensible to make.

[@grahamstevenson1740]

@@SMGJohn No. The battery chemistry of lead-acid today is identical to that of over a century ago. Lead and lead oxide are the active ingredients plus a sulphuric acid electrolyte. The CONSTRUCTION may have improved, notably with AGM, but the chemistry is totally unchanged. You're talking complete garbage about the 'technology'. I'm 100% up to date with lithium ion which means I UNDERSTAND the limitations and exactly why moronic idiots talki9ng about 'new technology' have literally NOTHING to offer. Note that Tesla's 4680 cell that the fanboys went all stupidly ga-ga over has ONLY an energy density of 276 Wh/kg. Nothing fancy AT ALL ! The wretched NDBs CANNOT POWER CARS. That just churn of a myth. They're stretched to power a WRISTWATCH ! Learn some ruddy basic SCIENCE and stop spouting drivel !

[@54mgtf22]

Love your work 👍

[@rtrowbridgedixon]

This e-VTOL future can’t happen soon enough! Cheers to the people developing this fantastic concept. Good show.

[@grahamstevenson1740]

You're right. It is indeed a FANTASY !

[@BravoManUK]

Pipe dream.

[@erikslagter3231]

How can you patent a moveable platform?

[@GreenJimll]

Well I guess this is one way to avoid Coventry's roundabouts in an EV. :-)

[@meguzhev]

No need to lift something that's main purpose to lift itself. Overengineering. I wouldn't discuss anything further there.

[@matthewbaynham6286]

Now that is a technology I will predict failing.

[@yenah-mate]

So its a small scale airport with extra steps?

[@Cloxxki]

Weight shaming, nice!

[@rcollinge325]

How about alot less steps !

[@yenah-mate]

​@@rcollinge325 It actually is a lot more steps. Most small scale airports don't have cargo protocols or forms physical security protocols / controls. Then, when you place a small scale airport in an city, there are lots more considerations. Noise would be the first major consideration. People live in cities, in tower blocks, near commons / parks - if you negate the privacy side of it noise is still a major issue. Almost every vehicle has noise restrictions imposed on them. The ev side of this is a welcomed concept because its quiet, but rotos make a hell of a lot of noise. Can you imagine a centralised hub in a built up area with the constant obnoxious hum of multiple rotors. Then you have to figure out your ability to actually get close to destinations - London, for instance, has 2 commercial helipads (somehow close to residential areas), London air ambulance have their own pad, as well as a few hospitals, and Harrods. So if you need to be at London city airport, ironically a helicopter (or evtol) won't be landing there, and the "last mile" is more like 5. There is simply not a lot of space to land in major cities. And that is possibly why this concept was demonstrated in Coventry - more open areas, less tall buildings. speaking of tall buildings. Small drones need to consider the kind of obstacles and winds that you would get around tall buildings, especially if they're carrying a load that cannot be balanced. In short something like this would require whole cities to change how they operate. And that is lots of extra steps.

[@GudieveNing]

Not the first vertiport to be designed.

[@Supasweet95]

How can someone patent a deck that elevates?

[@SingleTrackMined]

Yay!

[@abrahamgalvez7091]

VTOL is great, but I mean for city travel? Probably not.

[@concerncitizen8988]

It could be good, when there's not too much of these personal contraptions flying around, otherwise crashes are common due to collisions.

[@sUASNews]

It's not the world's first, it does not have the permissions in place, I could go on.

[@ferkeap]

I think this will not benefit sustainability much, it's just economics. And it will have (anti) social imprecations we will not like having when this is in place. Especially privacy and social interactions.

[@douggray169]

great video

[@spikeccx]

gave you a like but i cant see that makeing any city center sence they will be on top of buildings flat roofs or existing multi story car parks , as for orhers ....motorway service stations most of the infrastructure is all ready there and adding a small air port service would be relatively easy

[@Lordyosch]

It looks cool but I'm not sure what the point is

[@mikecarter2737]

A solution in search of a problem?

[@RealistReviewer]

I'm hoping eVTOL drone taxis will unlock so many possibilities and more importantly freedoms, we have seen air travel become more expensive and restrictive in recent times in the name of security and it has made it unfeasible, while ferry and boat travel remains open and free? why not air travel? perhaps because 200-300 people in a tube is restrictive?, lets have lots of of flying vehicles instead, that way there is much less risk and no need to infringe on our liberties and treat everyone badly in the name of "safety" the sky is massive and can accommodate much more traffic :) I believe that taxi drones will unlock borders like we used to have during the good old days of travel when travel was cheap and easy, remember those times where not so long ago? look at the current prices of air travel and the unacceptable restrictions, it's time open up again. We need this again in our lives and drone taxis will allow us to city hop over borders easily and explore with the freedom of the planet which is the born right of every person on earth, allowing the movement also of much needed supplies to those that need it, how wonderful a future is one where we can fly where we want, when we want.

[@nolsmtm]

Hyundai will have to figure out how to make their props spin the correct direction before their pretend flying taxi gets very far!

[@greentraveler4114]

WOW, there's a lot of rough copycats of DJI designs.

[@cottonhiker]

We don’t have any passenger taxis at the moment because they’re all busy trying to get certified is a nice way of saying, we don’t have any passenger taxis taken off here at the moment because THEY DON’T EXIST!!! Maybe find out if there are any passenger taxis on the planet before making a facility to handle them?! Just a thought!? Talk about putting the cart before the horse!?🤷🏼‍♂️ A perfect lesson on how NOT to start a business!!!😳🙄🤦🏼

[@BoyceBailey]

what a daft opening sentence.

[@zapfanzapfan]

Urban Air Port... UAP... so, you are the new UFOs then? 🙂

[@dizzyfpv4903]

You’re a bit slow off the mark with this topic. Not been following Uber Elevate or EmbraerX ?

[@drew-azureperthwestaust4818]

Like to see this urban airport in Ukraine proving tneir concept and its usefulness

[@MrOsamanaseer]

Putting an aircraft landing area in the middle of a building filled with humans is a dumb fucking idea.

[@EdgarRenje]

Just no: flying taxis and cars overall are not the thing people really want, I think. The air space is already crowded with planes. Do you really want to make it more complex? Do you really want the noise those things will do all the time? You can't delete it. It's physics. Solutions like this always claim to cover the areas, where nothing else exists, but in reality they just compete, where other mobility is already existing and that's logical, because those empty areas are not really profitable, especially for this kind of technology. Let's not make any wrong expection: this will have high running costs, whatsover. So the only use case left is for rich people to fly with another toy. Great future.