Uber and Nasa to study urban piloted aircraft, in a move closer to a world with flying cars
Uber has set a goal of testing electric flying vehicles by 2020 and a commercial launch in 2023
San Francisco — Uber announced a partnership to study urban piloted aircraft in conjunction with the US space agency Nasa, following a partnership in 2017 that focused on unpiloted drones. As part of the deal, Uber will share its data with Nasa to move the world closer to developing air traffic management systems for a world with flying cars. Uber made the announcement as it began its second Uber Elevate conference in Los Angeles. While Uber isn’t building these vertical take-off and landing vehicles itself, the company is striking partnerships with manufacturers, battery companies, and others who, together with Uber’s ride-hailing network, could make it possible to summon a flying taxi via the Uber app. Uber has set a goal of testing these electric flying vehicles by 2020 and a commercial launch in 2023. The company has produced its own designs, talked to local governments and is trying to lay the foundation for a future in which people travel across cities in the sky. Top US regul...
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