We see it in movies, video games or comics. But reality is catching up nicely with fiction. From now on, the Swedish brand Jetson is offering its flying machine to the general public.
You may have dreamed of sitting in a drone to walk between the mountains or avoid traffic jams. With its sky buggy, the Swedish company Jetson allows you to live this experience.
On its technical sheet, the device can take you up to 400 meters above sea level for a ground speed of 100 km / h. The electric motors allow a flight of about twenty minutes. Price of the object: just under 90,000 francs. The company has sold three in Switzerland. They will be delivered in 2023.
>>Jetson One presentation video:
Are we allowed to take off in Switzerland with this aircraft? Is a permit required? What are the in-flight rules? Is it safe? The questions multiply, as the object is still unusual. Because this machine does not fall into any category.
The decision is without appeal. “This device is not certified and cannot be used in Switzerland”, announces Antonello Laveglia, spokesman for the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA). And buyers can’t change that. The manufacturer must have his system certified innovative.
Problem. The legal basis to certify it does not exist, according to OFAC. “The work necessary for a certification would be very important because it would also be necessary to define the applicable legal requirements. Moreover the requirements for the pilots (training / license) as well as the procedures would also have to be established. “, explains Antonello Laveglia.
No certified device in Europe
For the moment, no vehicle of this type is certified in Europe. However, work is progressing. It is made by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). A series of rules have just been published concerning the operation of drones and a proposal for a regulation to operate “air taxis” should be put out for public consultation in the coming weeks.
Central to these approaches is the concept of urban air mobilityunderstand the transport of passengers or goods in complex environments such as cities.
And the challenges are many for EASA. Navigation standards, pilot training (on board or remotely) or the secure integration of these aircraft into the current airspace.
But the administrative machine is launched. So we could have some kind of flying cars in our sky. And faster than you think. The European agency believes that this urban air mobility should become a reality by 3 to 5 years. Japan or South Korea are preparing the arrival of flying taxis for 2025.
A fleet of drones
But don’t imagine “back to the future” cars or “Fifth Element” taxis. Today, the devices are mostly electric and look more like drones or small helicopters.
Investors believe in it and projects are multiplying. In March, one of the market leaders, the German start-up Volocopter, raised 170 millions of dollars. Now, all the major manufacturers are getting into it. Airbus, Hyundai, Suzuki, Boeing, Rolls-Royce. The future market will be in the billions.
And Switzerland is no exception. Zurich’s Dufour Aerospace is working with Rega to create the air ambulance of the future. The company has just set up in Canada, Montréalthe world’s second largest helicopter market.
Now all eyes are on Singapore. Volocopter is expected to open the first commercial line to carry passengers in 2024, a year behind the original schedule.
>>Volocopter test flight in Singapore
Initially, it will be tourist flights over Marina Bay, then cross-border flights to Indonesia and Malaysia. The project foresees the installation of four to six vertiports by 2030.
In Paris for the Olympics?
A system that should eventually be found in several large cities. In Europe, in Paris, the race is launched to make a demonstration on the occasion of the 2024 Olympics. The region wants to take advantage of the media coverage to present its competence Center around Paris airport (ADP) and the RATP.
The objective is to be able to cover about thirty kilometers in the city of Paris in just fifteen minutes. The price? Between one and two euros per kilometer, according to the wishes of the RATP in 2020.
In March, a prototype of Volocopter 2X carried out test flights at Pontoise aerodrome. The electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft carried a pilot, but was also remotely piloted.
>>Volocopter at Pontoise aerodrome (F) for acoustic tests
Technology made to last in the French capital. “We see that there are use cases that can quickly be put in place, in particular for the transfer of organs, blood bags or perhaps even patients between hospitals in Île-de-France”, believes Romain Erny, mobility expert for Choose Paris Region, an economic promotion association.
In large congested cities, drones could also provide services for the transport of goods in an emergency. “Secondly, we will think about passenger transport”, analyzes Romain Erny. “We also believe that the capacity of these aircraft must be increased. They must be able to carry more than a pilot and his passenger”.
We are still far from competition for the metro, train or bus. At the heart of the process, the developers of these projects ask themselves a question: how to make this new technology acceptable to the population?
Manage nuisances
Because the nuisances are numerous. First of all: safety. In high density areas, no one wants to take the risk of an accident that would ruin confidence. Reliability is therefore required, or at least equivalent to current air traffic.
Another issue is the noise made by the aircraft when flying at an altitude of between 100 and 300 meters above the city. The electric motors are huge fans that would make three to four times less noise than a helicopter. Measures are currently being taken to define a maximum threshold for certification.
We must not create jealousy in society. We can already hear drivers caught in traffic jamming against these devices that spin like the wind. Privacy also takes a hit. These new air corridors will offer new views of buildings or gardens. Not to mention some visual pollution.
The technology is still developing. Once the laws have been voted, the population and the politicians convinced, it will be a question of passing a new pill: autonomous transport. As with cars, the industry dreams of a system entirely driven by artificial intelligence.
Pascal Wassmer