Rolls- Royce unveils flying taxi prototype

Rolls-Royce, the British luxury car and plane engine manufacturer, has unveiled plans to develop a flying personal vehicle that could be available by the early 2020s.

The company says the vehicle, which can take off and land vertically, could be adapted to serve as a flying taxi for personal or public transportation purposes, or used for military or logistical applications.

The “electric vertical takeoff and landing” (EVTOL) vehicle will be able to carry four or five people and travel at speeds of up to 250 miles per hour, with a range of 500 miles.

The concept features gas turbines that generate electricity for six propulsors—a type of propeller that can be swiveled to give forward, upward or downward flight. These will be specifically designed to limit noise, according to the company.