The UK Department for Transport (DfT) has unveiled its Future of Flight Action Plan, highlighting how ‘flying taxis and routine emergency service drones should be a reality by 2028’. The joint plan between the industry and government aims to set out ‘the strategic direction of the sector over the next five years’.
The roadmap addresses drones and what it defines as ‘novel electric aircraft,’ detailing that the first piloted flying taxi flight should take place in 2026 before regular services commence in 2028. “Cutting-edge battery technology will revolutionise transport as we know it – this plan will make sure we have the infrastructure and regulation in place to make it a reality,” commented aviation and technology minister Anthony Browne.
“With government and business working together, we can unleash the huge economic, environmental, and social benefits of zero emissions flight globally,” said Stephen Fitzpatrick, founder and CEO of Vertical Aerospace.
Alongside the implementation of vertiports, other actions set out in the plan include allowing drones to fly Beyond Visual Line of Slight (BVLOS), as well as developing standards to improve security for drones to boost public safety. “Drones help professional teams capture data from the sky in a safer, cheaper, smarter and greener way, and in the future they will help transport cargo and people. ARPAS-UK and the industry are looking forward to actively and collectively implementing the actions in the plan so that we can accelerate the safe use of drones by end-user industries,” said Anne-Lise Scaillierez, CEO of UK drone trade association ARPAS-UK.
UK announces Future of Flight Action Plan
