Promoted Uber announces flying taxi service in Dallas, Tx. (1 Viewer)

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Linda

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With the big leaps in small, vertical take-off aircraft, the stage is set for commercial use. Uber announced that they plan to have an air taxi service ready for testing in 2020 and public use in Dallas (Tx) and LA by 2023.

The concept is all-electric, and seats four people plus a pilot, in single file in a slim, cylindrical body with large windows. The design, reminiscent of a catamaran, features streamlined nacelles suspended high on each side, on slender supports. These are the battery pods. On top of each, and atop two smaller, even farther outboard pods, sit stacked rotors, which provide the electric vertical lift for takeoff and landing. At the very back, where the tail would be on a conventional plane, a propeller faces forwards, ready to power horizontal flight. There’s just one door, on one side, to simplify ground operations. No need for extra steps or worrying about people exiting on the wrong side into an active landing pad. https://www.wired.com/story/uber-unveils-flying-taxi/

Initially, the craft will operate from helipads and the regional airport. They have a projected speed of 150-200 miles per hour, with a range of 60 miles on one charge. Having spent a fair amount of time Dallas, I can definitely see why people would be interested in getting to and from the airport without going through the ground traffic hassle. Eventually, Uber thinks they will be able to land the craft in residential areas. I can see it now - a helipad at the grocery store parking lot. On the other hand, Uber has had its share of accidents, as have self-driving cars in general. I'm all for moving into the age of the Jetsons, but need a bit more reassurance on the safety side.

While researching this article, I came across an earlier one that showed other aircraft being considered. Oh my, there are some elegant versions with a strong resemblance to personal spacecraft. I think you all will enjoy looking at them.

https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/8/17331490/uber-flying-taxi-embraer-pipistrel-karem
 

Angela

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I would have to see a lot of positive reviews to feel safe in one of those. It sounds like it would be pretty groundbreaking, but they're talking about creating an all new aircraft and almost immediately putting passengers on it at high volume.

As another note, my husband works in the airline industry and has not very favourable comments towards Embraer, the company posed to build these things. He notes that just because you have a lot of years experience, doesn't mean that it's proven good experience. Heh.
We'll see what comes of it, I guess.

It's a cool concept, nonetheless. And innovation never starts without someone taking the first step.
 
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Pucksterguy

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When I can get one with a 350 mile/ 500km range I'll be happy to buy one. It's a great concept, it just needs refining.
 
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therium

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When I can get one with a 350 mile/ 500km range I'll be happy to buy one. It's a great concept, it just needs refining.
The world does not have the battery technology for that yet. We can only get so many watts per kilogram of battery size. That needs to increase quite a bit for a longer range battery.

Robert Murray-Smith on Youtube is working on a more power-dense battery and it's almost ready for production. He's working on a prototype production line right now. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4AkVj-qnJxNtKuz3rkq16A
 

Pucksterguy

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The world does not have the battery technology for that yet. We can only get so many watts per kilogram of battery size. That needs to increase quite a bit for a longer range battery.

Robert Murray-Smith on Youtube is working on a more power-dense battery and it's almost ready for production. He's working on a prototype production line right now. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4AkVj-qnJxNtKuz3rkq16A
I spent a lot of time a couple of yrs ago researching motors, batteries and over unity. Everybody has theories and plans but no real working models. To me the simplest and easiest way would be to create a series of towers(activate all the old pyramids?) ala Tesla's Wardencliffe tower, then plug into that. Thus utilizing the most simple and abundant power source. Our atmosphere. The Earth is Negative while the atmosphere is positively charged. Ergo a usable current can be achieved and utilized.
 

therium

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I've been researching energy generation too, mostly from wind power and photovoltaic power, but a little with peltier elements too. Nothing else has really panned out.

Ergo a usable current can be achieved and utilized.
So that's not quite how atmospheric energy works. You can get 100 volts AC from a wire held up 50ft in the air, but the current is in the microamps, not usable for anything. So power(in) = power(out). When you reduce the voltage from 100vac, to increase the amps (current), the current is still not usable even to light an LED. An LED needs at least 10-15 milliamps to light a red LED. One might be able to find a specialty LED that runs on 5ma but those are more expensive, in the $10-20usd range each just for the emitter.

Assuming 100% conversion rate with a buck convertor (it moves the voltage down and the current up): 100 vac with 3 microamps (from an actual reading from someone who did this) becomes 10vac with 30 microamps, still not enough current to do anything. If we increased the voltage to say, 10000vac and 3 microamps, we get 10,000/3000 = 3.33vac, and 3 microamps * 3000 = 9000 microamps, or 9 milliamps.

However the pyramid technology may be very different. One theory is the pyramids were built there on where some ley lines crossed, AND there is flowing water under the bedrock under the pyramids which could produce usable power.

I don't know enough about Wardencliffe tower to know if he could get usable current or not, but Tesla must have been on to something if it was destroyed by people.

Now if we use a powerless ram pump to pump water uphill about 5-6ft and over a wheel that turns, we have a very small amount of free power right there. Rotation can be converted to electricity.

There was also a chip that could directly convert heat to electricity (not a peltier element) but it might be too expensive to produce. It has disappeared from the news.

Right now I'm happy with my flashlight that uses dead batteries and my photovoltaic system.
 

Pucksterguy

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I'm thinking in terms of power generation. Why use batteries to store power to run the helicopter when you should be able to generate the needed power. As in a gas motor to run the props, instead use electric motors and an electrical generator on board. You can use magnetism, the inherent power in the atmosphere, ether etc.
I have solar panels powering my off grid cottage now, thats the only source of effective power I could find. I don't like windmills, too noisy and not enough current in the water to effectively run a water generator(i need to reasearch that a little more.) same goes for running my honda gas genny. I don't knows enough about the nuts and bolts of electricity but I do know some.
 

Pucksterguy

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My thinking is generate the power as you need it rather then plug it in and charge batteries.
 

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