The World Autonomous Air Cargo Way

I propose a modern day Silkroad connecting the two ends of Eurasia over the air. The battery powered Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) planes can work autonomously between the East and the West. Even with today's battery technology VTOLs can carry heavy cargo to a distance of 100 km or more. The VTOLs should have wings for higher efficiency and speed (therefore they are not a quadcopter or similar).

Wind turbines would be erected every 100 km which would be supplying power to the charging towers nearby. The VTOLs would recharge their battery on top of these towers. It would take approximately 100 wind turbines and 100 charging towers to cross a 10,000km distance. (100 km x 100 hubs = 10,000 km) The wind turbines and the charging towers can be similar in design. While the wind turbines are also top heavy. The blades and the electric generator weight approximately same as the VTOL with its payload.

There would be branches coming out of this path to connect other cities. The floating wind turbines would allow ocean passage. Therefore, America continent can be connected over the Atlantic and the Pacific creating a circular around The World Autonomous Air Cargo Way.

This air way is not an alternative to air cargo while it would take approximately four days to reach from one end to the other. It can be an alternative to the trains. Maintaining thousands of kilometers of infrastructure is not easy. Maintaining a hundred wind turbines and hundred charging towers is much easier. It would be easier to defend against a sabotage as well. The numbers can be increased to allow higher traffic. Additionally, the advancement in battery technology would speed up the journey.

We should think out of the box. The wind turbines should not just provide electric to the cities. Some of them should be turned into autonomous robot charging and maintenance hubs.