Uber has announced Los Angeles will be the third city for its UberAIR service – a network of small, electric aircraft that users can order like a taxi.
The firm has shared a futuristic video of what the service could look like in Los Angeles, showing how the ride-sharing flights will pick up customers.
The traffic-beating taxis, which could reach speeds of 200mph (320kph), will cut travel times but cost the same as a car journey, Uber claims.
Los Angeles joins a growing list of cities, including Dubai and Dallas, where Uber plans to launch the service in 2020.
Uber has also announced that it has joined forces with Nasa to develop a traffic management system for its flying taxi service.
Uber has announced that it has selected Los Angeles as the third city for its UberAIR service – a network of small, electric aircraft that users can order like a taxi
Uber’s Chief Product Officer, Jeff Holden, announced the plans at the global Web Summit in Lisbon today.
Mr Holden said: ‘Technology will allow LA residents to literally fly over the city’s historically bad traffic, giving them time back to use in far more productive ways.
‘At scale, we expect UberAIR will perform tens of thousands of flights each day across the city – at those levels, all the time savings will have a noticeable positive impact on the region’s economy.’
Uber predicts that trips from LAX to the Staples Centre during rush hour can be reduced from up to 1 hour 20 minutes on the ground to less than 30 minutes using UberAir.
Its prediction includes UberX transfers to and from UberAir launch pads – the flight over LA itself will take around four minutes, the firm said.
UberAir is a network of small, electric, aircraft that enable four-person ridesharing flights in densely populated areas.
The ‘electrical vertical take-off and landing vehicles’ (eVTOLs) differ from helicopters in that they are quieter, safer, more affordable, and more environmentally-friendly, Uber claims.
Uber predicts that trips from LAX to the Staples Centre during rush hour can be reduced from up to 1 hour 20 minutes on the ground to less than 30 minutes for a journey including uberX transfers to and from the UberAir Skyports. The flight itself will take around four minutes across LA
Users will order the aircraft through the Uber app much like they would one of the firm’s taxis.
Once they have selected an UberAIR ride, the craft will fly to the nearest ‘Skyport’ – a series of launch pads spread across the city.
UberAIR will be built to decrease congestion, passenger time spent in transit, and over the long term help contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the firm said.
Uber estimates that an all-electric, 200mph (320kph) ride across the skies of Los Angeles will be price-competitive with an UberX trip of the same distance.
Once the service is available, users will open the Uber app and select UberAIR to order an aircraft to the nearest Skyport
As part of the plans, Uber has signed an agreement with Sandstone Properties to develop Skyport structures to serve as takeoff and landing hubs for UberAIR flights
The ride-hailing company plans to launch the service in 2020, with the hope it is well-established before the 2028 Olympic Games in the Los Angeles.
Mr Holden said: ‘By the time the Olympics come in 2028, we believe Los Angeles residents will be making heavy use of UberAIR, showcasing one of the most advanced urban transportation systems to the world, and because UberAIR is all-electric from day one, it will have a net positive impact on the environment.’
As part of the plans, Uber has signed an agreement with Sandstone Properties to develop Skyport structures to serve as takeoff and landing hubs for UberAIR flights.
Sandstone has over 20 locations in the greater Los Angeles area, giving UberAIR riders access to Los Angeles International Airport, Downtown LA, Santa Monica, and Sherman Oaks communities.
Mayor Eric Garcetti said: ‘Los Angeles has always been a place where innovators come to build new ideas that can change how we live our lives.
Sandstone has over 20 locations in the greater Los Angeles area, giving UberAIR riders access to Los Angeles International Airport, Downtown LA, Santa Monica, and Sherman Oaks communities
UberAir is a network of small, electric, aircraft to enable four-person ridesharing flights in densely populated urban markets. These electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOLs) differ from helicopters in that they are quieter, safer, more affordable, and more environmentally-friendly, Uber claims
‘LA is the perfect testing ground for this new technology, and I look forward to seeing it grow in the coming years.’
Uber has also joined forces with Nasa to develop new Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) concepts and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) that will enable safe and efficient operations of the aircraft.
Under the agreement, Uber will join a group of industry partners that work with Nasa on the development of new UTM concepts and technologies.
Mayor Eric Garcetti said: ‘Los Angeles has always been a place where innovators come to build new ideas that can change how we live our lives. LA is the perfect testing ground for this new technology, and I look forward to seeing it grow in the coming years’
Uber has also joined forces with Nasa to develop new Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) concepts and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) that will enable safe and efficient operations of the aircraft
Mr Holden said: ‘This Space Act Agreement paves the way forward for Uber to collaborate with Nasa on the development of next generation airspace management technology.
‘UberAIR will be performing far more flights over cities on a daily basis than has ever been done before. Doing this safely and efficiently is going to require a foundational change in airspace management technologies.
‘Combining Uber’s software engineering expertise with Nasa’s decades of airspace experience to tackle this is a crucial step forward for Uber Elevate.’
Uber says that it plans to launch the service in 2020, so it is well established before the 2028 Olympic Games in the Los Angeles