Photo Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Holy sh*t, we have officially entered the The Jetsons era.
I think I can say I’m not the only one who’s complained about traffic while driving or riding the train during rush hour. I would say to myself “Ugh! I wish I can just fly or teleport to where I need to go.”
Part of that is coming true.
Uber and NASA announced today that they will be working on a joint effort to develop software that would help manage “flying taxi” routes the way it would if you were to to Uber a car.
Yes people! FLYING TAXIS.
Uber had been testing these “flying taxis” in London but were met with legal issues and safety concerns. However now it looks like things are moving full steam ahead. The company foresees these aircrafts to be electric powered with part jet, part helicopter, part drone and part fixed-wing with small rotors which will enable it to take off vertically and land horizontally at faster rate.
Photos via Uber Video
Uber CPO Jeff Holden said they will be testing a 4 passenger “flying taxi” in Los Angeles in 2020 while the second test will be in Dallas.
Here is a how this “idea” will be implemented in the coming year via Reuters:
Phase 1, completed in 2015, involved field tests and ongoing testing at a U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) site for drones used in agriculture, fire-fighting and pipeline monitoring, NASA has said. Phase 2 in 2016 considered long distance uses in sparsely populated regions, while Phase 3 in 2018 will test services over moderately populated areas, leading to Phase 4 testing in high-density urban areas in 2019.
“Uber plans to introduce paid, intra-city flying taxi services from 2023 and is working with aviation regulators in the United States and Europe to win approvals toward that end.”
Could you imagine getting to choose between Ubering a car or a taxi to get to your destination? Flying taxis? WOW WOW WOW.