Labour has committed almost £50million towards the flying taxi and drone industry, amid hopes that these vehicles could be seen across the skies within years.
An investment boost of £46.5million has been granted by the Government in a bid to fill UK skies with drone deliveries, emergency service provisions and flying taxis.
The funding, which will be delivered through the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), is also expected to cut red tape around certain regulations.
Investment will go towards introducing digital and security foundations needed for drones and advanced air mobility, including electric flying cars, to be used across the UK.
This will speed up approvals for drone operations for emergency responses, medical logistics and infrastructure inspection.
The Government previously suggested that flying taxis and routine emergency service drones “should be” a reality by 2028.
Under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the Department for Transport outlined the new Future of Flight Action Plan, which estimated that drone technology could boost the UK economy by £45billion within years.
It detailed revolutionary plans for the first piloted flying taxi flight by 2026 and regular services by 2028.
Labour has pledged £45.6million for flying taxis and drone development
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VETICAL AEROSPACE
This would be followed by regular drone deliveries in the sky by 2027, followed by demonstrations of autonomous flying taxis without pilots on board by the end of the decade.
Commenting on the new £46.5million funding boost, Keir Mather, Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation Minister, said
The Labour MP for Selby added: “We’re backing the next generation of British aviation innovators with nearly £50million to drive drone regulation reforms and unlock barriers to growth that will create jobs, lower emissions and further the UK’s world-leading aviation reputation.
“Innovation must go hand in hand with strong security – that’s why over half of our investment will develop a new ID system to track drones in real-time, supporting emergency services and building public confidence in an industry that could be worth up to £103billion by 2050.”
Flying taxis could be seen across the UK as early as 2028
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VERTICAL AEROSPACEFlying taxis, which are also referred to as electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, have already been backed by the Government, including companies like Vertical Aerospace and Joby.
The Vertical Aerospace Valo has a cruise speed of 150mph, a range of 100 miles and will be completely zero emission.
This could allow Britons to travel from Canary Wharf to Heathrow in just 12 minutes, with space for four passengers and one pilot.
Stuart Simpson, CEO of Vertical Aerospace, said the funding from the Government was welcomed, in addition to the support from the CAA.
Flying taxis have already been trialled in the United Arab Emirates and China
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PA
He said: “To lead in advanced air mobility requires a regulatory system that can move at pace while maintaining the highest safety standards.
“This investment is a further step towards positioning the UK at the leading edge of the eVTOL sector, as it moves towards commercial operations.”
The funding will also lead to a crackdown on “faceless” drones, which can be used for criminal activity, via the “first bespoke drone identification system”.
Technology will be introduced to send out a drone’s ID and location during flight, allowing details to be shared through a secure online system.