Russia Conducts First Manned Flight Test of Flying Taxi Drone

Russia conducted its first recorded official takeoff of a flying taxi drone carrying a passenger. The test took place at the "Pushistyi" aircraft testing base on Sakhalin Island.

Valery Limarenko, governor of Sakhalin Oblast, stated that the vehicle can operate in two modes: either as an unmanned drone or with a pilot onboard. He added that the aircraft is powered by an electric battery, capable of flying for 20 minutes, and can reach speeds up to 50 kilometers per hour. The vehicle is equipped with a satellite navigation system allowing it to move autonomously along pre-set routes. It is essentially a prototype of flying taxi vehicles.

The experiment was overseen by specialists from the drone division of the Russian company "Aurora." Alexey Spinka, a participant in the "Sakhalin Wings" forum held this year from July 3 to 4, also took part in the test.

Experts at Aurora indicated that the final version of this vehicle is expected to be completed in 2026, with plans to showcase it at the 2027 Russian "Sakhalin Wings" forum.

Besides Russia, several other countries are working on developing and testing flying taxi vehicles, which are anticipated to help reduce road traffic congestion in the future and serve as a modern, fast mode of transportation.