This Flying Vehicle Could One Day Be Your Uber German startup Volocopter conducted its first U.S. flight earlier this week.
By Lydia Belanger •
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With every passing year, we grow more disappointed by the fact that science fiction hasn't come true, and we still aren't riding around in flying cars. But maybe it's time to re-evaluate what a flying car would actually look like.
German startup Volocopter (formerly E-Volo) has been developing drone-like VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) vehicles for the better part of a decade, and this week at CES, the electric-powered Volocopter 200VC took its first autonomous flight in North America at CES in Las Vegas. During Intel CEO Brian Krzanich's keynote address, Volocopter CEO Florian Reuter joined him onstage to announce a partnership between the two companies and kick off the flight demonstration.
Related: Check Out the Coolest Cars and Concept Vehicles at CES 2018
Last year, automotive corporation Daimler invested $30 million in Volocopter after a succesful test flight in Dubai and the launch of an autonomous air taxi testing program with the city.
The partnership with Intel serves to bolster Volocopter's safety and data processing.
Volocopter is not the only air taxi at CES. Workhorse Group is also showcasing its SureFly "octocopter" at the show, and Bell Helicopter unveiled an "air taxi" in partnership with Uber.
Krzanich himself flew in a more advanced model of the Volocopter, the 2X, in Munich, Germany, last month. Watch his ride in the video below.Volocopter flying in front of a huge audience on the stage of @ParkTheaterLV during the @intel keynote here at #CES 2018! #futurenow #allin #volocopter pic.twitter.com/spJKDVPw0m
— Volocopter (@volocopter) January 9, 2018
