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Drone taxis could be in Australian skies 'within three years'

Drone taxis could soon be a reality in Brisbane as entrepreneurs seek to attract trials and testing for “personal transport drones” as early as this year.

“We will have flying taxis hopefully in Queensland. We’re trying to attract a couple of companies to do their trial and testing this year,” Drone entrepreneur Dr Catherine Ball told 7 News.

“So, it may well be that if you get stuck in the traffic on the road now, you can actually take off and fly over the congestion of the traffic that you have in front of you,” Dr Ball said.

Dr Ball said the personal transport drones and flying cars could soon be a reality and predicts Uber may have flying cars in Brisbane within the next three years.

Brisbane could soon have drone taxis as personal transport drones are flagged for possible trials and testing this year (pictured is a Dubai drone taxi). Source: AAP
Brisbane could soon have drone taxis as personal transport drones are flagged for possible trials and testing this year (pictured is a Dubai drone taxi). Source: AAP

“Uber were applying to CASA [Civil Aviation and Safety Authority] to be flying in Sydney by 2023,” she said.

“I’d suggest that we are going to have those flying here in Brisbane possibly by 2021.”

Dr Ball said in addition to transport drones, the machines were being used to provide internet connectivity and medical services.

“We’ve got drones that are going to be flying up to 60,000 feet that are solar powered, that can provide WiFi signal so we can have connectivity across Australia from satellites that are effectively drones that are flying at high altitude,” she said.

Dr Catherine Ball, Drone Entrepreneur, says that she is trying to attract companies to trial and test drone taxis in Brisbane as early as this year. Source: 7News
Dr Catherine Ball, Drone Entrepreneur, says that she is trying to attract companies to trial and test drone taxis in Brisbane as early as this year. Source: 7News

“There are also drones that are being used to deliver blood, create humanitarian corridors. So we can get medicines out to people who need medicines really quickly,” Dr Ball said.

Useful for transport, Dr Ball spoke of drones that are able to lift off, straight up to the sky.

“We’ve got hybrid drones that can now take off vertically and then our fuel-efficient drones flying with a fixed wing,” Dr Ball said.

“The Jetsons is actually going to be real.”