Airbus’s Flying Taxi Is Poised for Takeoff Within Weeks

Airbus SE’s prototype flying taxi will take to the skies in coming weeks after powering up for the first time toward the end of last year.

The CityAirbus will be trialed at the planemaker’s helicopter plant in Donauworth, Germany, it said Jan. 23. Initial flights will be unmanned as Airbus seeks to establish the four-seat model’s capabilities for full autonomy and focuses on tests that don’t require a pilot.

Resembling a larger version of current hobby drones, the CityAirbus is designed to operate within urban environments at three times the speed of average road vehicles. The aircraft, which is propelled ...