‘Flying cars’ in PH coming soon
Ask most people about their dream future, and it would likely involve flying cars. From The Jetsons cartoon to the Star Wars movies, we’ve always imagined soaring through the skies riding a car becoming part of everyday life. However, we wouldn’t need to wait longer as more companies are developing flying vehicles worldwide.
Case in point, the Philippine News Agency announced that a German air mobility firm will launch its first Southeast Asian network in the country. In other words, the company will build a system of flying cars or eVTOLs right here in the Philippines. Soon, Filipinos may ride flying taxis to visit relatives, go to work, or explore the Philippines’ thousand islands.
What do we know about PH flying cars?
Airways Publishing reported Lilium and local aviation services firm PhilJets signed a memorandum of understanding at the Singapore Airshow.
It affirmed a strategic collaboration to bring eVTOLs or flying cars to the Philippines and other parts of the ASEAN.
“Our strategic partnership with PhilJets will expand our footprint even further in Asia, bringing the Lilium Jet to Southeast Asia,” Lilium chief commercial officer Sebastien Borel said.
“The Philippines is well-suited for eVTOLs to effectively connect thousands of islands together through sustainable and high-speed air mobility,” he added.
The PNA says PhilJets will buy 10 Lilium jets under the MOU. “Our team is proud to collaborate with Lilium on the mission to transform the Philippines’ mobility with eVTOLs,” said PhilJets chairman Thierry Tea.
“With its growing economy, geography, and important tourism industry, the Philippines is a great match to the Lilium Jet’s capabilities,” he said.
The companies will also develop joint definitions of routes, city pairs, and passenger demand for an on-demand eVTOL service in the region. In other words, your future taxi booking may come from the skies!
This project will turn the Philippines into one of the Southeast Asian countries that are installing eVTOL services. For example, a previous Inquirer Tech article reported that Hyundai will bring flying cars to Indonesia.
What are eVTOLs?
Flying cars or eVTOLs have been trending since 2022, so this Inquirer USA post shared more details about them. It says the acronym stands for “electric vertical takeoff and landing.”
Unlike airplanes, they don’t have to speed across a runway to gain enough momentum and take off. Instead, eVTOLs have rotors that lift them in the air and propel them forward like a helicopter.
The “e” in eVTOL means that these run on an electric motor like Tesla cars. Consequently, electric flying vehicles will help the Philippines reduce its carbon footprint.
Here are the different ways eVTOLs fly. Note that new methods may emerge by the time you read this article:
- Tilt-thrust method: You can see this in action with the V-22 Osprey VTOL aircraft. It looks like a regular plane, but each wing has a rotor similar to a helicopter. Once it’s aloft, the wings can rotate the rotors forward so that they can function as a regular airplane.
- Lift and cruise: These work most closely like a helicopter. It has several rotors that lift it and a fixed motor that pushes it forward.
- Multirotor system: Some eVTOLs fly like remote-controlled drones. Unlike the lift and cruise, it only uses fixed rotors to lift and propel it forward.
