Under the trend of rapid technological development, scenes that once appeared in people's fantasies are gradually becoming reality.

We have been fascinated by seeing flying cars soaring in the sky in science fiction movies. Now, this thing is about to enter our life.

Recently, American Joby Airlines officially submitted an application for the type certificate of flying taxis to the Civil Aviation Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism of Japan, and stated that it plans to launch flying taxi services in 2024.

This is the first time that Japan has accepted the application of a foreign company for a type of certificate, and it is also a necessary step for Joby Air to launch its air taxi service in the Japanese market.

The taxi service will be launched in New York and Los Angeles first, and then gradually rolled out to other regions.

Through this mode of transportation, the original 50-minute drive can be shortened to 10 minutes, and there is no trouble with traffic jams.

Notably, the company's eVTOL aircraft fly without burning fossil fuels, instead combining electricity with renewable energy for zero-emission flight.

The air taxi is a kind of ultra-light aircraft that came out in the United States.

In October 2007, it was unveiled at the Connecticut trade show.

The aircraft is equipped with the PW600 series engines used in mid-size cars and can carry two pilots and three passengers.

Compared with ordinary aircraft, it is lighter in weight and faster in flight, and has been dubbed an "SUV in the air."

For flying enthusiasts, short-distance travel passengers, and frequent business people who want to own a private jet, ultralight jets are a good travel choice.

On October 27, 2022, Spain's first air taxi made its maiden flight.

In addition to flying enthusiasts, ultralight aircraft are also loved by airlines.

One of them is Straight Line, headquartered in Concord, Massachusetts. Previously, the company had been able to provide charter flights carrying 8 passengers.

How is the current fee calculated?

Air taxis are paid by flight credit card:

Platinum members need to pay 50,000 US dollars, and all future flight fees will be discounted by 20%;

Gold card members pay 20,000 US dollars and get a 15% discount on all fees;

Silver card members pay 8,000 US dollars, all fees will be discounted by 10%;

Bronze card members pay USD 3,000 and get a 5% discount on all flight fees.

The cost of each flight will be debited directly from the card.

Cities like Tokyo and New York are desperately needing this type of aircraft, and it's currently the closest thing to consumer demand.