The Urban Developer
AdvertiseEventsWebinars
Urbanity
Awards
Sign In
Membership
Latest
Menu
Location
Sector
Category
Content
Type
Newsletters
Untitled design (8)
25 DAYS UNTIL OUR UNMISSABLE FLAGSHIP CONFERENCE 29-31 JULY, GOLD COAST
25 DAYS UNTIL OUR FLAGSHIP CONFERENCE 29-31 JULY, GOLD COAST
SECURE YOUR SPOTDETAILS
TheUrbanDeveloper
Follow
About
About Us
Membership
Awards
Events
Webinars
Listings
Resources
Terms & Conditions
Commenting Policy
Privacy Policy
Republishing Guidelines
Editorial Charter
Complaints Handling Policy
Contact
General Enquiries
Advertise
Contribution Enquiry
Project Submission
Membership Enquiry
Newsletter
Stay up to date and with the latest news, projects, deals and features.
Subscribe
ADVERTISEMENT
SHARE
49
print
Print
TransportTue 15 May 18

Uber Plans Flying Taxi-Service by 2023

7873eef8-986d-4471-9537-02153220469d

Ridesharing giant Uber is on the search for an international city to become a launching pad for its urban aerial ridesharing, or “flying taxi” service with plans to take-off by 2023.

Uber’s ambitious plans for its air taxi, after partnering with NASA to ensure the aerial service is twice as safe as cars, hopes to alleviate urban congestion.

Uber unveiled its latest flying car prototype at the Uber Elevate Summit in Los Angeles discussing the future of its flying service.

A model of Uber’s electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle concept (eVTOL), a cross between a helicopter and a drone, is an update to its first concept developed with NASA last year.

Uber2


The service will be known as UberAIR, and will see the company partner with three “launch cities” to bring the service to market.

According to Uber’s whitepaper, the VTOLs were designed to emulate today’s helicopters, with maneuverability in mind so passengers and pilots can access a variety of locations and flight paths.

“On-demand aviation has the potential to radically improve urban mobility,” the whitepaper stated.

“VTOL aircraft will make use of electric propulsion so they have zero operational emissions and will likely be quiet enough to operate in cities without disturbing the neighbours.

Related reading: Elon Musk's Plan to Create Bricks for Affordable Housing


The company says VTOL will use autonomy technology to reduce operator error and will be an affordable form of daily transportation, “even less expensive than owning a car.”

A third “launch city” is currently being scouted. Last year, Uber named Dallas and Los Angeles as its first launch cities and is now searching for the third.

Uber says it will consider cities with a population of more than two million, with dispersed population hubs and an airport at least an hour away from the city centre.

“This opportunity is open to any city outside the US where there is a desire for a dramatic improvement in transportation and conditions are conducive to urban air mobility,” the company stated.


These three cities will be the first to offer UberAIR flights, with the goal of operating demonstrator flights starting in 2020 and commercial operations in 2023.

Uber plans to discuss UberAIR with the governments of viable cities after July 1, 2018.

Related reading: Australian Bricklaying Robot Could Build 30 Million New Homes Globally


Uber plans to put self-driving cars back on the road

Speaking at the Uber Elevate summit in Los Angeles last week, chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi says Uber plans to put self-driving cars back on the road “within the next few months.”

This comes after tests were suspended after one of its vehicles struck and killed a pedestrian in Arizona earlier this year.

InfrastructureInternationalAustraliaTechnologyCompany
ADVERTISEMENT
TOP STORIES
Molti chief Ben Teague out front of 32 Mercer Road Aramadale (rendering)
Exclusive

Buy to the Sound of Cannons: Molti’s Counter-Cyclical Move to Melbourne

Leon Della Bosca
5 Min
Exclusive

Tapping the Bunnings ‘Halo Effect’

Taryn Paris
5 Min
Exclusive

‘Construction Not a Scale Game’: Hutchinson

Phil Bartsch
9 Min
Nation's build-to-rent project Charlie Parker in Sydney's Parramatta where more projects are being located and built outside the CBD.
Exclusive

Foreign Capital Still Dominates BtR but Things are Changing

Marisa Wikramanayake
7 Min
Exclusive

Fortis Reveals Plans for Coveted Bowen Terrace Site

Taryn Paris
4 Min
View All >
Molti chief Ben Teague out front of 32 Mercer Road Aramadale (rendering)
Exclusive

Buy to the Sound of Cannons: Molti’s Counter-Cyclical Move to Melbourne

Leon Della Bosca
Sherpa South Brisbane DA hero
Development

Sherpa Shifts Gaze from Beaches to Brisbane’s ‘Aria Territory’

Phil Bartsch
Justin Butterworth will speak on a panel at Urbanity 2025 on the Gold Coast.
Technology

Platforms Pump Up Rental Revolution: Justin Butterworth

Renee McKeown
The brains behind the foundation of Airbnb is moving in a new direction reshaping the face of the rental market…
LATEST
Molti chief Ben Teague out front of 32 Mercer Road Aramadale (rendering)
Exclusive

Buy to the Sound of Cannons: Molti’s Counter-Cyclical Move to Melbourne

Leon Della Bosca
5 Min
Sherpa South Brisbane DA hero
Development

Sherpa Shifts Gaze from Beaches to Brisbane’s ‘Aria Territory’

Phil Bartsch
3 Min
Justin Butterworth will speak on a panel at Urbanity 2025 on the Gold Coast.
Technology

Platforms Pump Up Rental Revolution: Justin Butterworth

Renee McKeown
4 Min
Finance

HCP: Real Projects, Real People, Real Returns

Partner Content
5 Min
View All >
ADVERTISEMENT
Article originally posted at: https://theurbandeveloper.com/articles/uber-plans-flying-taxi-service-by-2023