Bell Helicopter, which has tied up with Uber to revolutionise mass transportation, expects to bring the first air-taxis under the partnership by the middle of next decade, according to an executive at the Textron unit.
“Air taxi is the next way for our industry, and it’s very important for us to make sure we are among the disrupters to think about what should be transportation in the next 10-20 years,” said Patrick Moulay, executive vice president for commercial helicopter sales. “We’re not going to see a taxi flying tomorrow, but it’s much closer than what people think.”
_______________
Read more:
'Flying jetski' on show at World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi
Automotive year in review: Technology accelerates
_______________
Uber disclosed the initial steps of its air-travel vision last year, announcing five partner companies with various specialities aimed at making the sci-fi staple affordable and common. The initial testing is expected in 2020 in Dallas and Dubai, two car-clogged cities where aviation interests wield great influence.
In countries like Indonesia and in New York, the technology already exists, with some customers using an app to book helicopters, Mr Moulay said. "For the air taxi, we believe that by the mid-2020s, or may be 2025, we will be there flying, we will see the first aircraft flying," he said at the Singapore Airshow.
Founded in 1935 as Bell Aircraft, the Fort Worth, Texas-based company has delivered more than 35,000 aircraft to customers around the world, according to its website. It has additional plants in Amarillo, Texas and Mirabel, Canada.
Scores in brief:
Boost Defenders 205-5 in 20 overs
(Colin Ingram 84 not out, Cameron Delport 36, William Somerville 2-28)
bt Auckland Aces 170 for 5 in 20 overs
(Rob O’Donnell 67 not out, Kyle Abbott 3-21).
Plan to boost public schools
A major shake-up of government-run schools was rolled out across the country in 2017. Known as the Emirati School Model, it placed more emphasis on maths and science while also adding practical skills to the curriculum.
It was accompanied by the promise of a Dh5 billion investment, over six years, to pay for state-of-the-art infrastructure improvements.
Aspects of the school model will be extended to international private schools, the education minister has previously suggested.
Recent developments have also included the introduction of moral education - which public and private schools both must teach - along with reform of the exams system and tougher teacher licensing requirements.
HOW TO ACTIVATE THE GEMINI SHORTCUT ON CHROME CANARY
1. Go to chrome://flags
2. Find and enable Expansion pack for the Site Search starter pack
3. Restart Chrome Canary
4. Go to chrome://settings/searchEngines in the address bar and find the Chat with Gemini shortcut under Site Search
5. Open a new tab and type @ to see the Chat with Gemini shortcut along with other Omnibox shortcuts to search tabs, history and bookmarks
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: SmartCrowd
Started: 2018
Founder: Siddiq Farid and Musfique Ahmed
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech / PropTech
Initial investment: $650,000
Current number of staff: 35
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Various institutional investors and notable angel investors (500 MENA, Shurooq, Mada, Seedstar, Tricap)
