Ground transportation giant Uber has partnered with NASA through a Space Act Agreement to figure out how to safely introduce its concept of transporting urban travelers by air. UberAir plans to use light, VTOL vehicles to quickly whisk passengers from one location to another, bypassing the gridlock of traffic that has become the norm in many large cities. NASA is helping develop traffic management systems for this new concept of air taxi. The agreement was announced at the Web Summit in Lisbon, Portugal.
NASA Signs Space Act Agreement with Uber
Key Takeaways:
- Uber is collaborating with NASA through a Space Act Agreement to develop UberAir, an urban air taxi service using light VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) vehicles.
- NASA's role is to help create air traffic management systems for this new concept, which aims to bypass city traffic.
- Uber plans to begin test phases for UberAir in Dallas and Los Angeles by 2020, with a goal for full operational status by 2023.
- Uber is partnering with various manufacturers, like Pipistrel, to develop the necessary aircraft rather than building its own, and FAA approval for the platforms is still pending.
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