The US aerospace manufacturer, Boeing, tested its autonomous passenger air vehicle (PAV) on January 22, 2019.
In this first technical test, conducted in Virginia (USA), the vehicle carried out a short vertical takeoff before relanding. The company that considers this test as successful, plans a new experiment to test the transition from vertical flight to forward flight.
The Boeing PAV is designed to transport passengers in crowded streets avoiding skyscrapers. It is intended for autonomous flights over a radius of 80 km.
The aerospace sector is highly competitive. The Chinese firm Ehang has, as a reminder, started the first tests of its drone taxi [4] in 2018 and the Canadian manufacturer opener Inc has already presented its flying vehicle "BlackFly [5]" which will be available on the market in 2019.
The insurance covers for this new type of vehicle are still to be determined. Experts began the debate on the flying cars in 2012 on the electronic journal MarketWatch. The insurance premium for a flying vehicle was estimated at 60 000 USD.
More recently, the Dutch company PAL-V announced on its website the availability of an insurance coverage for its flying vehicle. For this purpose, PAL-V has collaborated with the insurance broker, AON PLC, and the aviation Insurance Company, Nuytten Verzekeringen NV.