One of the challenges in managing flying traffic is managing traffic lanes. Unlike ground traffic, you can’t just paint stripes on the road, and with the sheer volume of flying traffic in a modern city, it’s impossible to rely on basic elevation management. Fortunately, by the time anti-grav technology is mature enough to be used for the average user, other solutions exist. One that the Elysians use is a projected holographic lane marker. While drivers usually run on autopilot, studies have shown that passengers find the presence of lane markings makes passengers feel substantially “safer” no matter what else is happening under the hood. As well, it makes manual as well as assisted manual piloting easier tasks.
Like most other places, the Elysians also made use of multiple grades of traffic lane. Nobles could expect dedicated traffic lanes, as could members of the government on official business. In high traffic locations, there could be multiple grades of traffic lane, showing just what kind of privileges rank could offer. The pictured holographic traffic control is a basic 1×1 projector, common in smaller feeder routes or more remote areas. In built up areas traffic quickly found itself getting stacked higher and wider. The areas immediately around Highspire could easily find themselves eight high and eight wide, in each direction.
This little sketch came about a bit as part of envisioning in Turn 114, when Czar Scion goes to visit the Clara Soles Domi Hospice in disguise. As he was coming as a lower lord, he did not get ultimate priority (as a White Wing would qualify for) but instead made use of a lane for lesser nobles. It’s inspired by a lot of different science fiction things that we see when it comes to “flying cars” but it’s not referencing any specific setting or vision.
Dollarton Proxima Shipyards 