New York City is one of the biggest cities in the world. Known for its amazing skyscrapers, breathtaking Broadway shows, and enough restaurants. to feed millions of people simultaneously. The city has really made a name for itself, and people seem to be coming back every year. But, with this big of an urban area, there have to be multiple options of transportation and how one can navigate around the area. The two most common that people can see in real life or from the movies are the taxi and subway services. With both of these bringing in millions of dollars every year, there is no saying how they are going to change in the future or affect the city. But as technology continues to develop and become more advanced, there is an interest in how that is going to affect the transportation industry of the city. There are some companies that have decided to experiment with the future in mind, and this brought the idea of creating the air taxi system. 

     This industry has only been around for a short period of time, but has hopes to skyrocket and become one of the common forms of transportation. These aircraft consist of small helicopter-like taxis that are powered by electricity and have modern technology, making up the whole vehicle. Even though they started in New York City and will continue to fly there, there are hopes to bring them to states all over the United States. According to Fox Buiness, they include California, Florida, Texas, and North Carolina, and also spread them to other cities around the world, like Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. (States)

     The one worry is how many people are actually going to use these aircraft, and how expensive they could be. In the end, it will depend on what part of the city you are in and also how long your ride would be, but currently in New York City, a typical ride for using an air taxi would cost anywhere from $100-$250. This could be a positive or a negative for an individual, depending on how much they are willing to spend and also how annoyed they might get from the hassle of it. There does seem to be some advantage because it is just an individual and the pilot, and one doesn’t have to worry about someone else taking the ride from you. But it could also be difficult because one would need to drive to the airport, and then go through the process of getting on the air taxi. This seems like a waste of time for many people, and that does seem to be very true.

     Another aspect that can be very helpful about this transportation is the positive effect it is going to have on the environment. Most of the air taxis are battery-powered, but some developers are starting to explore the idea of using hydrogen fuel cells. This means that the car would use an electrochemical device that converts the chemical energy of hydrogen and oxygen into electricity. According to Joby Aviation, the batteries work as long as the hydrogen and oxygen are being supplied. (Batteries) The only emissions would be harmless water vapor. Creating a better environment and releasing fewer harmful gases into the atmosphere

     There is no saying whether it is going to become a booming industry. The inconvenience of driving to the airport in the first place is something that doesn’t make sense to me. Why not just take the subway or a regular road-bound taxi? I understand the idea of it and how beneficial the aircraft could be in the future, but I just feel that there aren’t enough people interested in it yet. The whole industry is just starting to prosper, and with it not having a huge demand, many people seem not to trust it, to find a reason for it. Overall, I think it is a good idea, and there are definitely positives to it all, but there is a big need for more publicity and getting the word out. Because who knows, one day this might be all we know, and everything will be taken to the sky.