The Russian Helicopters and Yandex.Taxi companies at the International Aviation and Space Salon (MAKS-2019) in Zhukovsky signed an agreement on the development of an air taxi system.

“An agreement is being signed to create an urban air mobility system. Signed by Alexander Viktorovich Okhonko, General Director of BP-Technologies LLC (innovative design bureau of Russian Helicopters Holding. - RT), and Alexei Fedotov, Development and Cooperation Director of Yandex.Taxi OJSC, said at the signing ceremony.

Alexander Okhonko explained that the agreement provides for the joint development of an entire system, which will include drones, manned vehicles, an air traffic control system, etc.

“Next year, test flights to the suburbs and the MKAD zone will begin, and if safety and profitability are confirmed, we will plan flights from the city limits to the zone of international airports. This is the most massive and profitable segment, ”emphasized BP Technologies LLC.

According to the CEO of Russian Helicopters Holding Andrey Boginsky, in 2020 it is planned to use a prototype VRT-500 helicopter, which was presented at MAKS-2019, as an air taxi. He also expressed hope that next year "there will be a prototype for the start of qualification work (by air taxi . - RT )."

Earlier, on the official website of Russian Helicopters, a competition was announced for "technological projects in the field of development of air transport and its integration into the urban environment." The participants of the competition, which was called Sky.Tech, later presented their developments at the MAKS-2019 air show.

"Unload traffic"

According to the president of the Trade Union of the Russian flight crew, Miroslav Boichuk, the air taxi line will help to improve the transport situation in the capital, and with the support of interested persons and representatives of the executive branch, the project can be implemented in a very short time.

“This is very relevant, first of all, for Moscow, where there are constant traffic jams. Air taxi is one of the aspects that will relieve traffic, ”Boychuk said in an interview with RT.

Earlier, the press service of the capital's Center for Traffic Management warned of the traditional deterioration of the road situation in Moscow for the end of August. This is due to the return of residents of the capital from vacations. Presumably, the number of cars compared with the summer period increased by 15-17%.

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Availability

A new type of transport will be available for Muscovites, especially if it receives state support.

“We have a satisfied high percentage of citizens who can pay for an air taxi. Now this segment requires good understanding and support from the state, if all this is realized, we can unload traffic jams in Moscow, and the mobility of citizens will increase by an order of magnitude, ”the expert concluded.

The expert analyst of FINAM JSC Alexey Kalachev, for his part, notes that if helicopters become the basis of air taxi, then such services will not be cheap.

“Unless the flights of the day off with the family, it’s clean to fly, to try, as excursion services, so to speak. As a taxi, this cannot be a cheap pleasure. The cost of cars and the cost of helicopters are very different. Depreciation will be much higher, it will be more expensive, ”he explained to RT.

Recall that the developers themselves intend to start testing helicopters as an air taxi. It is also planned to use drones and alternative aircraft.

Yandex.Taxi Strategic Partnership Director Aleksey Fedotov noted that urban helicopter transport is no longer exotic.

“For us, this project is a way to show the capabilities of the smart Yandex.Taxi algorithms that help a person to manage their time efficiently, and the launch of regular helicopter flights will significantly reduce the cost of flights for each user,” Fedotov told reporters.

Director General of BP-Technologies Alexander Okhonko said that the cost of a flight in Moscow will be "about 3,000 rubles for a business class helicopter taxi and 2,700 for a classic seat."

Oleg Smirnov, Chairman of the Civil Aviation Commission of the Rostransnadzor Public Council, Honored Pilot of the USSR, is confident in the success of the project. According to him, air taxi will become an alternative mode of transport in large cities.

“This project has practical grounds, I’m traveling now from MAKS, where taxi helicopters were also exhibited. This agreement between land taxis and between air taxis has a basis, and moreover, a soil that will allow further development of this type of very convenient communication for the residents of our country. This is a new business, it is very promising, ”said Smirnov RT.