World Car Gist #Update
Hey Folks,
the conception of a flying car
might just be coming to pass!
NASA and Uber have signed an agreement to ensure safe development of flying taxis in urban environments.
At Uber’s annual Elevate summit in Los Angeles on Tuesday, the rideshare company detailed its aviation goals to launch electric flying taxis within the next five years. Uber also shared the designs for its electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOL).
The vehicles will make up the “world’s first urban aviation rideshare network”, which Uber said will be fully operational by 2023.
The new prototype – an update of the one it created with NASA last year – is equipped with a series of drone-like stacked and co-rotating propellers. The propellers rotate in the same direction on two separate rotor systems designed to ensure safe transition between vertical and forward flight.
Uber said the concept was designed with a “rider-first mentality,” and is “pedestrian friendly” thanks to its high propeller blades that leave ample room for passengers to board and disembark without having to duck. The high placement of the wings also provides sheltered entry into the cabin.
The company plans to begin operating demonstrator flights by 2020, and said it intends the service to be ready for on-demand commercial operations by 2023.