bernard_cernea t1_iwknrgw wrote on November 16, 2022 at 9:55 AM

Reply to comment by botfiddler in My predictions for the next 30 years by z0rm

I have several arguments against them including:

Noise pollution and wind currents at landing and take off;
Safety. Congested airways would produce many more accidents in 3D than 2D highways among vehicles. Also intoxicated drivers becoming suicide bombers crashing in tall buildings. Also it would be harder to institute traffic rules that establish priority because there are no fixed routes.
It would ruin the city landscape making it cluttered and chaotic for pedestrians.

botfiddler t1_iwmdisj wrote on November 16, 2022 at 6:37 PM

The noise of electrical motors isn't that high, and they might land and start from buildings or special stations. Congestion and accidents are not an issue if it's expensive and with autopilot. They won't be passenger controlled. I don't understand you last point.

bernard_cernea t1_iwmjsc9 wrote on November 16, 2022 at 7:18 PM

electrical motors are completely silent, but propellers aren't. Even if autopilot is perfect, it would only be safe if manual control is always forbidden and i doubt people would agree to that.

botfiddler t1_iwmkhk3 wrote on November 16, 2022 at 7:23 PM

They will agree to it, there will be no other option. That's exactly your strawman: Saying they won't want what they could get, and what they want they can't ever have. But it works if we reverse it. They want and will take what they can get, and get over what they can't have.