Uber promises flying taxi by 2020

Technology-driven ride-sharing company Uber is promising flying taxis that cost only slightly more than an UberX within three years.

Avoiding regular traffic and hypothetically providing faster, more direct and potentially more exciting journeys, Uber Technologies Inc says it will begin offering Uber flying taxis from 2020.

That's according to Jeff Holden, Uber's chief product officer, who made the pronouncement at the Uber Elevate summit in the US this week, spruiking the idea of "urban air mobility".

Working with several suppliers, including Aurora Flight Sciences, Pipistrel Aircraft, Embraer SA, Mooney International Corp and Bell Helicopter Textron Inc, Uber wants to provide the public with a new and more effective way to make short trips.

Just as it has transformed the taxi business globally over the last half decade, Uber has no intention of sitting still and wants to take a quantum leap forward with autonomous, pilot-free airborne transport.

What Uber wants to deploy are essentially oversized AI-controlled drones whose major cargo will be humans.

The aircraft will be zero-emission vehicles and significant take-off, landing and refuelling infrastructure will be required. But Uber has already signed deals with the cities of Texas and Dubai to begin doing so, as well as with property developer Hillwood Properties to build four "vertiports" as proof of concept.

Uber reckons the flying taxis will not be too loud so can operate in built-up areas and cities and insists the cost to customers would be only slightly higher than a regular UberX fare.

The San Francisco-based technology and transport company is planning to showcase the airborne door-to-door transportation solution at the World Expo in 2020 in Dubai.

The company states that "Urban airspace is actually open for business today" and says that air traffic control systems are not legally required in many cities. Instead, visual flight rules (VFR) can apply.

Uber has been pushing its autonomous vehicle technology in recent times, partnering with Volvo, but after a crash in the US was forced to temporarily freeze the program.

Autonomous cars and EVs may not be the only battleground for transport manufacturers and tech companies, with Google, Uber and Airbus all looking at providing cost-effective short-range vertical take-off and landing craft.

If you've ever sat in peak-hour traffic for extended periods of time, you'd know just how strong the urge is to escape it. That's exactly what these companies are hoping to provide. Will it work? Have your say in the comments below.