Jane Wardell

SYDNEY, (Reuters) – Paramedics in jetpacks and border officers with flying cars sound almost like science fiction. However, these concepts form part of an advanced market for air mobility (AAM), which is estimated to reach $17 billion by 2025.

The sky has been increasingly popular for small-scale aircraft as urbanization makes it congested in the cities.

Anna Kominik from Wisk Asia Pacific, Asia Pacific Director said, “We cannot continue to use road transportation; 3D mobility [is] really important” in an interview that was broadcast Thursday at the Reuters Next conference.

Wisk (NYSE:) Co. has been testing Cora for the past four years at its base near Tekapo in New Zealand. Cora is an electric autonomous aircraft that can take off and land like a helicopter.

Wisk has been liaising to regulators including the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to obtain approval for the public use of an air taxi. The aircraft can transport two people up to 100 kilometres (62 mi) at speeds up to 150 km/h (91.3 mph).

Kominik, a member of a panel discussing the topic on Nov. 5, stated: “Sixty seven percent” Of the global population will live in cities by 2030. Therefore, ground infrastructure is difficult to maintain and costly to rebuild. “We must use the sky as an opportunity.”

The Netherlands-based PAL-V has one foot on the ground, while the other takes off in the air. This year, the European Road Safety Agency approved Liberty, its two-seat gyroplane vehicle Liberty. It has a speed limit of 180 km/h as well as a range of 400 km.

Robert Dingemanse (CEO of PAL V International) stated that delivery to customers will start in 2023 once they have completed the training.

He stated that PAL-V was able to accept orders (including down payments) from fifteen countries with interest rates from 193 nations.

Kominik refused to give a date when Cora will carry its first passengers.

She stated that although we don’t anticipate being the first to market, we expect to be among the top.

DEVELOPING A ECOSYSTEM

According to Allied Market Research the market for advanced air mobility could reach $17 billion and $110 million by 2025, respectively.

This report also suggests that the market share of the piloted segments will exceed 35% by 2025. But, it is predicted that the autonomous segment will see the greatest growth between 2025-2035.

Dingemanse stated that he expects the Liberty will be used in a variety of ways, including for pipeline observation and policing, as well as health operations in remote locations.

Richard Browning also has done test runs with his Gravity jetpack in various countries, as well as emergency personnel in the United Kingdom.

The jetsuit is capable of carrying a person for approximately four minutes and can hold 317 pounds worth of thrust. Browning, who has a database of 35 countries’ use of the jetpack, is currently working to improve flying time.

Kominik stressed the importance of creating an “ecosystem” of use cases as technology advances.

She said, “That takes a different mindset than government policy and regulators.” We must create it, as it isn’t there right now.

Wisk from California chose New Zealand as it allowed autonomous plane trials “beyond the line of sight”.

CORONAVIRUS IMAGINGS

Kominik and Dingemanse both said that the pandemic was good for the industry and bad for it.

The PAL-V sales slow down as there were fewer in-person tests, Dingemanse stated. However, the crisis provided a boost for the private aviation industry and strengthened the need to face-to-face meetings.

He stated, “In this sense, it’s an edge to our solution which is personal space while you’re traveling.”

Kominik stated that New Zealand’s strict border restrictions have prevented key personnel from coming into the country over the last few months. However, it has also prompted the establishment of an Australian testing facility.

Browning wants to go back to public demonstrations in order to encourage a new generation. “Landing an 1,000-horsepower jetsuit within a school, with an invitation of course — is a good way to keep kids from staring at an iPad for even a second.”

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