In pictures: The air taxis that could be taking to the skies by 2025

You could be hailing an air taxi sooner than you'd expect.

Ian Taylor

Published: March 19, 2022 at 4:00 pm

Fancy flying to the office? It could be on the cards sooner than you think, given how many air taxis are currently in development.

From well-known aviation experts like Airbus and Boeing to specialist manufacturers like Vertical Aerospace, flying cars are being developed around the world.

Take a look at the prototype vehicles that could be shuttling you around the country at 200mph by the end of the decade.

Flying cars take off: How air taxis are about to revolutionise how we travel

Airbus

CityAirbus air taxi — Airbus unveiled the NextGen version of its CityAirbus air taxi in 2021. Although still on the drawing board, a prototype is due to begin tested in 2023 © Airbus

VoloCity

The VoloCity air taxi — The VoloCity air taxi, seen here taking a demo flight over Singapore’s Marina Bay in 2019, bore only a passing resemblance to the prototype that first flew in 2011 © Getty Images

Boeing

Boeing Passenger Air Vehicle — Boeing’s Passenger Air Vehicle (PAV) is an autonomous air taxi with a configuration that differs from the ‘norm’, relying on propellers that are not positioned on the wings © Boeing

Joby Aviation

Joby Aviation aircraft — The Joby aircraft is expected to gain its air carrier certification from the Federal Aviation Administration in the US in 2022, and there are plans for it to be in service as an aerial ride-share service by 2024 © Joby Aviation

Hoversurf

Hoversurf prototype vehicle — 2021 saw the Russian company Hoversurf testing a prototype of the vehicle it hopes to develop into a drone air taxi © AFP

Vertical Aerospace

An artist’s impression showing Vertical’s VA-X4 vehicle waiting for its next fare on top of a city-centre skyscraper — An artist’s impression showing Vertical’s VA-X4 vehicle waiting for its next fare on top of a city-centre skyscraper © Vertical Aerospace

Two of the four passenger seats in Vertical’s VA-X4 cabin — Two of the four passenger seats in Vertical’s VA-X4 cabin © Vertical Aerospace

This article first appeared inissue 373ofBBC Science Focus Magazine–find out how to subscribe here

A former deputy editor at Science Focus, Ian once undertook a scientific ranking of the UK's best rollercoasters on behalf of the magazine. He is now a freelance writer, which is frankly a lot less fun.

The VoloCity air taxi, seen here taking a demo flight over Singapore’s Marina Bay in 2019, bore only a passing resemblance to the prototype that first flew in 2011 © Getty Images

© Getty Images