Flying taxis may finally arrive this year, thanks to the development of a new breed of electric aircraft that are much quieter than helicopters – and potentially greener as well.

These electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) models aren’t simply a new spin on helicopters. Rather than relying on one large set of rotor blades for lift, these vehicles use multiple smaller propellers, similar to remote-controlled drones. The propellers face upwards like helicopter rotors during vertical take-off or landing, but can also tilt…