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| Capsules help cities solve traffic problems |
USky Transport in Belarus hopes to help cities solve their transportation problems by building a network of high-speed, self-propelled gondolas that travel through the city and hang on steel rails.
Traffic jams are a problem for cities all over the world. Some want to reduce traffic jams with electric bicycles, others want traffic lights that support artificial intelligence.
In June, uSky Transport opened a 400-meter test track in Sharjah, on the border with Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
From the outside, the electric pod is a shimmering white, while the interior is like a premium loft suite, including mood lighting, lounge music, and floor-to-ceiling windows.
There are two padded seats and two foldable seats, and the tested space capsule can carry up to four passengers.
A fully implemented city-wide network can support 10,000 riders per hour as vehicles are currently able to travel at 150 kilometers per hour.
The company said its goal is to free up roads and land that can be used for green spaces, sidewalks and public recreational areas.
Although the cost of one kilometer of the subway is $150 million, the cost of such a system is about $10 million, according to the company.
By using fewer structural materials, it reduces carbon dioxide emissions.
The company has also developed a similar technology for transporting shipping containers that move up to 48 tons of cargo at a top speed of 90 kilometers per hour.
The capsules make a difference in mobility
Although the suspended gondola is often compared to a monorail or cable car. However, it offers more flexibility.
In a cable car you have a car that is always moving at the same speed. But you can use many different capsules in a certain basic structure. For example, products for short or long trips in urban areas.
However, it should be noted that careful planning is required to avoid congestion in a congested urban network. However, if the promise of improved mobility and shelf life is fulfilled, capsules will still be a widely used solution.
uSky Transport plans to build a 2.4 km road in Sharjah this year. This allows the capsule to operate at a higher speed. It also shows how passengers and cargo carriers can be integrated into the same network.
According to Hussain Al Mahmoudi, CEO of the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park, where the uSky transport test line is located, he hopes that Sky Capsules can advance the emirate's strategy to become a sustainable hub in the future.
With the test track running, uSky has also received initial approval to build a track around the coastal city of Khorfakkan.
The neighboring emirate of Dubai is also conducting research on self-driving booths in city traffic. Other global companies such as Virgin Hyperloop are expected to develop high-tech transport capsules for the region.
uSky Transport said our vision extends beyond the UAE. The most promising regions for us are the Middle East and Asia. Places with natural population growth such as India and Pakistan.
Capsules are more suitable for countries where public transportation is underdeveloped and where mobile solutions are in high demand. However, uSky Transport has received inquiries from countries such as the United States and Canada.
The company hopes to secure its first commercial contract in Sharjah before the end of the year. This means that the uSky transport capsule can be operational in 2024.