EyeforTravel Europe: Urban flying taxi networks to be supported by Blockchain

EyeforTravel Europe: Urban flying taxi networks to be supported by Blockchain

Regulators said to be working ‘intensly’ to enable networks to be established and blockchain will help infrastructure be built Continue reading

Emerging blockchain technology could be key to bring flying cars to mass usage, according to McFly.aero, a flying taxi incubator that is developing prototype technology.

In April the firm launched its initial coin offering (ICO) to build a network of flying cars for mass-market use in urban areas

Ilya Khankyov, chief executive McFly.aero, told the EyeforTravel Europe summit in London, said the promise of Blockchain is to “reduce the transactional costs underpinning large systems”.

He said one of these systems coming along is electronic vertical take-off and landing flying cars that will serve the urban market.

These vehicles will be able to travel at 300 kilometres an hour and be fully charged within 30 minutes and be able to cover 150 kilometres in one charge.

They will be built to fly autonomously using more simple technology than for terrestrial self-driving cars, but will initially be piloted by humans to give peace of mind.

Khankyov said there will be a pilot shortage initially and people will have to be trained up as the technology scales but that flying will be no more complicated than operating a drone.

He said many regulators are working “intensly” to enable flying car networks to be established and that it will be blockchain that will help the infrastructure be built.

“We are creating a consortium so that anyone can start an air taxi service so that for the cities the service comes for free. All that’s required is the political will.”

Khankyov said through blockchain every part of the system from charging stations to rooftop landing pads can be incentivised and rewarded as they are used.

“That’s one application of blockchain to use it as an operational support system but also as a business support system for billing purposes and creating an incentive scheme for a lot of independent players to contribute to the system.

“If that works we will have flying cars in more cities sooner rather than later in a much more affordable manner.”