UrbanV partners with AWS to develop vertiports in Rome.

The prospect of tourists being transported across Rome in electric flying taxis is set to become a reality by the end of 2024, the company behind the venture, UrbanV, said on Friday.

Promising "a revolution in sustainable urban transport", UrbanV has set itself the "ambitious goal" of launching its first eVTOL service from Fiumicino airport into central Rome by the end of next year, "ready to transport visitors arriving in the city to attend the Jubilee in 2025."

The company will work in partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS) as its cloud provider, with the aim of building electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle transport networks in Rome.

• Rome's Fiumicino airport tests flying taxi ahead of 2024 launch

In a press release UrbanV said that from 2026 onwards, Rome’s eVTOL network would expand to 10 vertiports, "allowing for fast, traffic-free travel between popular transit hubs and tourist destinations."

The company, which was founded by Aeroporti di Roma, SAVE group, Aeroporto di Bologna and Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur, says that AWS will "automate the passenger experience" by simplifying check-in operations and security checks.

UrbanV is also set to open vertiport networks in Venice, Bologna and on the French Riviera, with plans to invest several hundred million euro in expanding its model "on a European and global scale" over the next five years.

• Rome airport to bring flying taxis to Italy

“Our vision for electric urban air travel focuses on reinventing the flying experience,” said Carlo Tursi, CEO of UrbanV, adding that together with AWS "we will develop a revolutionary urban travel experience, not only in terms of the vehicles involved, but also in terms of the passenger experience.”

At a media presentation of the two-seater air taxi at Fiumicino last year, it was announced that the rotor-bladed aircraft would be able to take passengers to and from the airport and central Rome in 20 minutes.

The futuristic project steps up a gear as the city undertakes major works ahead of the Vatican's Jubilee Year in 2025, an event that is expected to attract millions of pilgrims to Rome, and comes as the Italian capital bids to host Expo 2030.

Photo UrbanV