From Flying Whales to Flying Cars: The Future of Aircraft?

Read on to discover what futuristic advancements await the world of flying

The Future of Air Travel

Air travel is a sector that is set for massive changes over the next couple of years, from using hydrogen for fuel to the complete redesign of aircraft and even the possibility of supersonic flights returning.

These changes will all have a knock-on effect on how we travel by aircraft such as a private jet charter, and how we transport goods. Here are just a few ways air travel could be changing in the coming years.

Image Credit - Unsplash

Flying Cars

Flying cars are no longer something we just see in sci-fi movies. A company in Slovakia has made a car that can transform into a private aircraft in a matter of minutes. The more incredible aspect is that the car has been certified and is clear for mass production.

The car, powered by a BMW engine, has a flying speed of 170 km/h. While the logistics of using a flying car are yet to be figured out, this is a massive step towards full adoption.

The one surprising aspect of the entire project is that the technology has outpaced the logistics. How will the skies operate with hundreds or thousands of flying cars? These are questions that will need answers much sooner than we expected.

Flying Taxis

Building on the idea of flying cars, more aviation companies are taking on the concept of flying taxis. With the idea of reducing traffic and emissions, electric flying taxis are looking more likely to be part of the future of public transport.

As they look to the future of travel, companies in Malaysia, Singapore, and Australia have begun building fleets of vertical take-off and landing vehicles, or VTOL’s. The aforementioned flying cars are almost definitely going to be part of this new movement.

Image Credit - Unsplash

The Sky Whale

With the idea of transporting more people in one flight and reducing flights in general, the Sky Whale concept plane is looking more and more likely to come into service. The brainchild of Spanish designer Oscar Vinals, the AWWA Sky Whale, is the future.

The aircraft has three levels, but more excitingly, the aircraft will be fitted with numerous futuristic additions, such as self-repairing wings, hybrid fuel and propulsion, and swivelling engines that would allow for vertical take-off.

Unfortunately, an aircraft like the Sky Whale is not viable at the moment. However, the technology is slowly moving in the direction needed to make it possible and allow for mass production.

Flying Yacht

The last place you would look for the next advancement in flight is the sea. However, the aptly named Flying Yacht combines the luxury of a high-class yacht with two blimps that allow it to take to the skies.

The middle portion of the yacht would be the living quarters, and two enormous blimps would flank it; these blimps also play host to rooms for guests to occupy. The designers have also clarified that this is not designed for public transport.

The Air-Yacht has been built to be bought and used by private individuals, those who want an upgrade from the usual yacht purchase. While still a concept at the moment, the technology does exist to make the Air-Yacht a possibility.

Wing and Cabin Redesign

Two areas that will most likely be redesigned are the wings and cabin. Designers are working on combining the wings with the aircraft's fuselage, meaning the entire aircraft provides lift, lessening fuel consumption and costs.

The Delta wing and V-shape design has been used in fighter aircraft design for years, as it provides better aerodynamics, increases speed, and lowers fuel consumption. This is another wing design aircraft manufacturers want to incorporate.

Cabin designs have barely changed over the past few decades. Except for first-class and the private pods you can find on some airlines, the Economy has stayed the same. However, designers are looking to change that.

A double-decker design looks like the way to go. While this will require a design change to the fuselage of the aircraft, airlines will look towards it as a way to increase carrying capacity, especially for domestic flights.

Image Credit - Unsplash

Return of Supersonic

We have cars that go fast and bullet trains that take you across a country in a few hours, but we haven’t seen high-speed, supersonic aircraft since the Concorde in 2003. However, airlines are looking to bring them back sooner rather than later.

It is unclear how supersonic flights will be reincorporated as Concorde is definitely not an option, but we are in a time where the technology is much easier to create, and if the Concorde was created in 1969 and was able to do what it did, imagine what can be created in 2025, or 2030. Supersonic flights are one of those almost inevitable changes at this point.

(Devdiscourse's journalists were not involved in the production of this article. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of Devdiscourse and Devdiscourse does not claim any responsibility for the same.)