Photo courtesy Lilium.
Uber, Lyft, Grab took over the on-ground, app-based, taxi service. German base company, Lilium prefers to command the sky.
Will our live to experience the flying car/plane?
It may not be close to reaching the vision, but it already overcame its major obstacles following the initial test flights of its electric plane.
Co-founder and CEO Daniel Wiegand told WIRED Germany, “The prototype is supposed to do two things, firstly, it will demonstrate our technology works. Secondly, it will help us collect data on test flights in order to develop the serial product in the next step."
The aircraft sits two people and is powere by electric motors. It takes off vertically and flies using the lift from its engines. For those questions the safetly, well, the entire aircraft has its own parachute. Phew.. The company quotes a flight range of 300km with a cruising velocity of 300km/h. It promises a range of 186 miles and speeds up to 186 mph, enough to take you from Manhattan to the JFK airport within five minutes. Do they take pre-orders yet? No, it isn't quite ready to take pre-orders for the Lilium yet. Its five-seater variant will have to go through years and years of testing.
"It is time for me to move on”