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Joby Aviation is developing electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft
David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Flying taxis may finally arrive this year, thanks to the development of a new breed of electric planes that are much quieter and more environmentally friendly than helicopters.
These electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) models are more than just a new take on helicopters. Rather than relying on one large rotor blade for lift, these vehicles use multiple small propellers, similar to remotely controlled drones. The propeller points up like a helicopter’s rotor during vertical takeoff or vertical landing, but it can also tilt.