Live
Audio Only
Uber Technologies Inc has opened up a contest to select a city to launch its proposed flying taxi project. The contest will select a third launch city, having already selected Los Angeles and Dallas in the United States. Uber had previously intended to launch in Dubai, but ran into delays.
RELATED:
Construction of Extremely Large Telescope Underway In Chile
UberAIR, as it will be known, hopes to begin demonstrator flights by 2020, and begin service in 2023.
The company is considering cities with a metropolitan population of over 2 million people, with airports at least an hour away from the city center.
"Dubai has previously expressed an interest in (Uber's) vision but we are broadening the pool given interest from other cities which is why we have launched this criteria and process," a spokeswoman said, adding that discussions with Dubai continue.
The company wishes to demonstrate that flying taxis can help relieve urban congestion, and seeks to develop electric, on-demand flying taxis capable of a vertical take-off, similar to drones.
Uber has been working with aviation regulators around the world to help plan and implement the project. They are looking to work closely with city municipal governments to help realize the vision, and begin a new industry.
The San Francisco-based company has faced criticism in many cities around the world for out-competing unionized taxis, and replacing the sector with non-contracted, non-union workers.
Newsletter
