In recent articles we talked about a variety of massive companies racing to create the world’s first taxi drone. Social media giant Facebook expressed interest in this autonomous drone that can transport people to their destinations. Uber sees this vision as well, and has teamed up with Facebook to make this idea more into a reality. Car manufacturers like Porsche and Ford also expressed interest in being the first to plant the flag in autonomous transport.
The idea of pressing a button on an app and a taxi drone would land on a nearby rooftop or street is within reach. These taxis would also have full autonomy, and do not require drivers or remote controllers. They can simply rely on programming to deliver passengers to their destinations. All this while having a more free space to roam, away from the traffic jams of the world. This may soon be how you get to work daily.
Although not something that we may see in the next few years, the foundations are already being set. Little by little, inch by inch; today’s top companies are working on making the impossible possible. What was once merely a background object in futuristic tales and stories may actually happen. What was once a fictional object may soon be the next standard for transports everywhere.
Taxi Drone Regulations:
This week, a new tweak in the system may be the impetus for this drone service to become reality. The US Department of Transportation announced that approval for these taxi drones would have the same process as today’s commercial air transports. This includes safety regulations both for passengers and other air transports.
This means a few things. One, the DoT would consider these theoretical taxi transport drones to be at par with airplanes and helicopters. This also means that transport drones would not rely on new and different regulations. They will follow the same guidelines and regulations that apply to passenger airplanes worldwide. This marks an incredible opportunity as it would be easier to clear taxi drone testing in the future. No more jumping through different hoops depending on the location; the same standards that apply to airplanes would be the priority.
