The administration envisions flying taxis operating in two years.

Regarding the 2026 goal, he states, “It’s challenging, but possible.”

He speculates that at first, “it might start off as more of a replacement for helicopters,” before demand gradually expands to include more people.

The public would also need to see the convenience demonstrated by technological advancements in security screening.

The PwC analysis makes the difficult assumption that taking off from a flying taxi rank will take 10 minutes—a scenario that is now difficult to achieve considering how long it takes to pass through a traditional airport.

According to Dr. Nadjim Horri, an aeronautical control lecturer at the University of Leicester, “the barriers to certification of a new technology were holding this back for a long time.”

But this is beginning to change, he claims, as regulations begin to keep up with advancements in technology.

He continues, saying that while public acceptance of the new technology would also need to be gained, getting flying taxis into the air by 2026 is a reasonable goal.

As a proof of concept, a mini-airport was established in a parking lot close to central Coventry for four weeks in 2022.

Urban Air Port, the business that created it, believes that air taxis will complement existing transportation options rather than completely replace them in the future.