Czech pilotless plane project aims to develop unmanned civilian flights
Zuri aircraft will be able to carry four passengers up to 700km.
(Web Desk) – Czech-based air taxi developer Zuri has received funding to develop a functional prototype of its unmanned aircraft for pilotless journeys.
Pilotless travel has been proposed before, with Boeing previously suggesting that self-flying planes are possible thanks to drone technology.
The company said that it would be looking to producing a functional prototype of the plane with the initial investment.
According to its developers, the unmanned vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) Zuri aircraft will be able to carry four passengers up to 700km (435 miles) – the equivalent of London to Germany – in less than three hours when operational.
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It will weight 900kg (2000 lbs), have a wingspan of 11m (36 ft) and be propelled by eight electrically-driven rotors and a turboprop.
The investment has been made by online travel agency Kiwi.com. Oliver Dlouhy founder and CEO of Kiwi.com said, “The Zuri project represents a direction that I see as key in the future of transport and our investment is testament of that.”
“The vision of Zuri is very close to our own and we are excited we can play a part in its development. We also believe that Kiwi.com will be among the first to offer this type of service within the global scope of our network.”
He said: "Intertwined with the global transportation network, it will bring completely new options for travelling by adding thousands of smaller cities into the airports’ catchment areas by extending these by the radius of up to 700 kilometres."
While pilotless planes could save millions of pounds in the future, passengers are still reluctant – a poll by UBS found that out of 8,000 people asked, 54 per cent would be unlikely to use a flight without a pilot.
