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PILOTLESS FLYING TAXIS are being tested in New Zealand as part of a project backed by Google co-founder Larry Page that supporters say will revolutionise personal transport.
New Zealand regulators late today approved plans for Zephyr Airworks, a subsidiary of Page’s company Kitty Hawk, to develop and test the futuristic air taxis.
Known as Cora, the electric aircraft has a dozen small lift rotors on its wings, making it capable of vertical take-off and landing like a helicopter.
But developers say it is much quieter, meaning it could transport passengers in urban areas using rooftops and car parks as landing pads.
“We are offering a pollution free, emission free vehicle that flies dependably, we think this is the logical next step in the evolution of transportation,” Zephyr chief executive Fred Reid said.
The Cora prototype being tested in New Zealand’s South Island uses three on-board computers to calculate its flight path and is capable of carrying two passengers.
The computers operate independently as a safety measure and the aircraft can deploy a parachute if anything goes wrong.
The aircraft, previously known as Zee.Aero, has a range of 100 kilometres (62 miles), reaching speeds of 150 kmh and an altitude of up to 900 metres (3,000 feet).
The Cora project envisages the air taxis becoming so common that “air travel will be woven into our daily lives”.
‘Like science fiction’
Zephyr said using them would be a simple experience for passengers.
“You wouldn’t have to know anything about flying a plane. Cora could fly for you,” it said in a promotional video.
And it would be all-electric, helping to build a sustainable world.
Page’s company is also developing a prototype personal aircraft called the Kitty Hawk Flyer and unveiled an early model in the United States last year.
However, it looked more like a recreational plaything than a flying car, suitable only for flying above water and seating the pilot in an open top cabin exposed to the elements.
Cora appears far more robust, with a design more like a traditional aircraft featuring wings, a tail and a closed canopy for passengers.
The aircraft will not be offered for sale, instead the public must book trips like they would with an airline or taxi service.
Zephyr said Cora took eight years to design but then developers needed a suitable environment to safely test the new technology.
They settled on New Zealand because of its uncongested airspace and rigorous regulatory environment, with Reid saying local officials had embraced the idea.
“We had no idea what to expect,” he said.
They could have laughed us out of the room. We were pitching something that sounded like science fiction.
Cora has been given an experimental airworthiness certificate from the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority.
Trialling the flying taxi service will reportedly take six years, with operations based around the city of Christchurch.
“This aircraft represents the evolution of the transport eco system to one that responds to a global challenge around traffic and congestion, and is kinder to the planet,” Christchurch mayor Lianne Dalziel said.
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#WAP
There’s an app called our pact – ourpact.com
It enables you to schedule times for your child’s device to have the apps active. You can also turn them on and off at will – removes the friction of “give me the phone”.
With a phone, the phone part keeps working for texts & phone calls – this is good for safety, however almost everything else including internet access shuts down. for a tablet, only core apps keep working.
It’s free as far as I know.
I’m sorry but you don’t give a 12 year old the world at the click of a button
Pretty much impossible to stop that Adrian.
Education is key.
Technology today is similar to letting your kids ramble off for an entire day anywhere they like when they are 6,7,8,9
They could be anywhere, be with anyone, taken, who know.
Only a matter of time before they access technology, whether it’s in your home, schools mates phone, tablet, whatever. Forbidden fruit is only more attractive, more you try to prevent it the more they will hide it from you and the consequences all the worse.
Really really … really important for parents / guardians to educate and regularly speak to children, you need your child to trust you, share with you, be safe … have fun but with guidance and support.
I remember being 12 using the family computer and on an Irish chatroom Widemouth talking with complete strangers about everything as I did every day when my Mother entered the room, she told me to stay away from those chat rooms as she had just heard about the Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells soham story that was breaking at the time with the danger of speaking with strangers on the internet becoming apparent to her, she would have seen the chat room on screen but didn’t register what it was. What she also didn’t know was that I had already met up with people from that chat room and gone bowling.
In hindsight I realise how dangerous that was but also it highlights how far behind media and concern groups are with what kids are actually doing, there was a big uproar about chatrooms at the time but only because two girls had gone missing after using one.
It’s important for parents to educate themselves but also to be aware that they will never be able to stop a determined teenager from doing as they wish online. It’s better to encourage them to use good and safe practices like not providing identifiable details to strangers or in a place where strangers may access, not just their name but their e-mail address, location and their school as well. I think it’s important that the teenager feels able to talk to you about any issues which happen online as well rather than feel reluctant for fear of being blocked or forbidden from doing something they enjoy.
This is the wrong approach.
You need to raise smart & tech-savvy kids – not sheltered & isolated ones. They’ll be exposed to stuff either way. Trying to keep them away from everything online is impossible, so much better they know how to deal with it WHEN it arises.
@Jason Maguire: What an idiotic idea. I couldn’t want my daughter exposed to hardcore pornography or paedophiles even if she were completely aware of what they are and how to deal with them. Neither do I want her to see people decapitated live on a stream.
I’m lucky that as a software dev I am able to completely shut down objectionable content if I need to, however if I wasn’t then I would take the approach of a hard wired connection on the main computer in a common living area. No doubt about that.
@Dennis Laffey: so you control the internet access on her friend’s devices and in their homes too? Solid idea there.
Of course you’d block porn at home, you dope – what I’m saying is make sure they’re savvy enough to spot if some weirdo is chatting to them in a Facebook chat, or on Snapchat, or Whatsapp, etc. Don’t be naive – don’t be gullible. You cannot protect them from everything, despite you thinking you can. You don’t control the entire internet, Dennis. You control what they can see in YOUR home only.
@Jason Maguire: No need for the personal attacks Jason.
Look at what you wrote; “This is the wrong approach”.
In the context of this article (which talks about setting up basic blocking and educating children and parents about the dangers of unsupervised access to the internet) it is logical that I would assume that you are advocating for not educating children and not blocking access. Follow on with the rest of your comment and it very easy to presume that you are in favour of a laissez-faire approach to children’s access to the internet. Which is obviously crazy.
I don’t disagree with your more defined comment, but next time try to be more accurate about your opinions from the start. I am not able to guess at what you meant to type.
“You cannot protect them from everything, despite you thinking you can. You don’t control the entire internet, Dennis. You control what they can see in YOUR home only.”
I never said I could/did control the whole internet. No need to dip into logical fallacies Jason.
Well Kenny would know… he’s still Taoiseach so it’s obviously not all about the votes either
have your say