Boeing successfully tested its autonomous personal air vehicle (PAC), an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi. Powered by eight electric lift motors and a cruise propeller, the aircraft successfully took off, hovered, and landed autonomously. The aircraft, or air vehicle, is being designed and tested by Aurora Flight Sciences, Boeing NeXt’s subsidiary.
According to John Langford, president, and chief executive officer of Aurora, “This is what revolution looks like, and it's because of autonomy. Certifiable autonomy is going to make quiet, clean, and safe urban air mobility possible.”
The aircraft is being designed not to compete with the helicopter airport commuter service, but to become the airborne equivalent of an Uber or Lyft. Uber is hoping to launch an air taxi service as early as 2023 in Dallas and Los Angeles.