Uber's flying taxi fleet revealed

A fast, noisy and busy flying helicopter service is on the way to Melbourne, according to an ABC report.

Uber has always set its sights on a 2020 debut, with the Australian aviation authority previously saying there were no major hurdles to overcome for that to happen.

Now, “highly sensitive” information labelled “do not distribute” has been accessed using the state’s Freedom of Information (FOI) system, according to the ABC, revealing more details about the flying taxi service.

The helicopters won’t need to follow fixed routes, says the document, which also foresees the “tops of buildings and parking lots easily repurposed as skyports”.

It also details how fast and high Uber Air machines plan to travel, including an altitude of 457 metres, with speeds of up to 241-321km/h. A 96km battery range is also noted.

There’s still no clues on exactly how far away the technology is at this stage, although the report says flights are expected to begin this year using existing helicopters between the city and airport.

“Moving forward from 2023, Uber will work diligently to show that the service can be scaled safely, efficiently and with minimal disruption to the neighbourhoods it serves,” reads the document.

However, there are still concerns around Uber Air’s planning process – at least for community researcher Petra Stock, the woman responsible for sourcing the documents, who said it “could fall between the cracks of state and federal rules”.

“People expect with a major road or a major transport project there are processes in place, like environmental assessments, that look at all these different elements and look at how to minimise them and manage them. It’s unclear if that will exist for this proposal,” she said.

Meanwhile, Victoria’s Assistant Treasurer Robin Scott says Uber Air could “lead a revolution in commuter travel” for Melbourne.

"Melbourne is the perfect place to help make aerial ridesharing a reality … global companies with offices in Melbourne can run 24/7 — and we're always one step ahead because it's already tomorrow in Australia," Scott told the ABC.