Just recently, our Minister of Enterprise Development, Datuk Seri Mohamed, has just said that the first prototypes for Malaysia’s very own flying car will be ready by the end of 2020. This is after the fact that the initial prototype was promised to be delivered by around sometime this year, but due to difficulties in adapting to new technology, there seems to have been some setbacks.
Source: Stuff
But Singapore isn’t waiting around, because just yesterday (22nd October 2019), Oriental Daily reported that flying taxis are already being tested in the country! Granted, they’re not made by Singapore, but damn that is just so, so cool.
Source: CNA
The working prototype is manufactured by German company Volocopter, and was released in conjunction with the first World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems to be held in Singapore from the 21st to 25th of October, 2019.
Source: CNA
Source: CNA
Initially, the test flight had almost been cancelled due to poor weather. Representatives of Volocopter said that while ‘flying taxis’ like the one they are exhibiting can fly in the rain, their current flight licence does not allow them to fly in poor weather conditions. Thankfully, the skies cleared up soon and the test flight commenced.
Source: CNA
Source: CNA
The small white ‘taxi’ almost appears to look like a downsized helicopter without a tail. Some have even said that they mistook it for a drone at first, until they realised that people were sitting in it!
The ‘flying taxi’ flew for about 3 minutes around the Marina Bay area, while showing off its ability to take off and land vertically. Co-founder of Volocopter Alexander Zosel said that landing pads for these ‘flying taxis’ could be placed on the top of most buildings such as malls, commercial buildings and parking lots. Taxi fares for these new modes of transport are expected to cost just about the same as regular taxis.
What do you think about this cool new development? Do you think flying cars like these are the way forward? Let us know!
Also read: M’sian Flying Car Prototype to Launch in 2020, Can Travel From KL to Penang in 1 Hour
